


Let It Burn

by taralkariel



Series: Sequel Trilogy [2]
Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Gen, POV Alternating, Politics
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-18
Updated: 2016-05-04
Packaged: 2018-06-03 03:16:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 18
Words: 33,428
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6594475
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/taralkariel/pseuds/taralkariel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Supreme Leader Snoke has been deposed by Kylo Ren, Rey is honing her skills with Luke Skywalker, and Finn is rising through the ranks under General Leia Organa.  The powers in the galaxy are choosing sides and it will take a significant act of the Force to win peace.  (alternating POV, not explicitly shippy, Force-bond, redemption arc, what I want for Episode 9)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. I Watched This City Burn, These Dreams Like Ashes Float Away

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: This is a sequel to I'll be the One to Protect You and you probably want to read that first. I wanted to wrap up the trilogy, so I kept going with it (with a sort of redemption arc for Kylo Ren; not explicitly shippy). As usual, I will be posting a chapter a day, so please stick around and enjoy! Reviews are greatly appreciated! Chapter titles from Let It Burn by RED.

After their successful attack on the First Order base, the Resistance salvaged whatever they could and then moved their base of operations to the Codian Moon.  The First Order retreated to Borosk, rejoining their allies in the Imperial Remnant.  In the absence of the Galactic Senate, planets were choosing sides.  A few, particularly those in the Outer Rim, continued to ignore the greater happenings of the galaxy and saw to their own affairs, but most were at least tenuously connected with one side of the other.  Finding allies was not a challenge, though the loyalty of those allies was not necessary something on which one could depend.

General Organa was facing something familiar – the threat of a totalitarian government – but under very different circumstances than those to which she was accustomed.  She had known that the Imperials had fled, and were festering in the outer reaches.  She had known and the Senate had done nothing, had denounced her for warmongering.  No matter the evidence brought before them, they refused to accept it as a real threat.  Well, now they were gone, and there was no satisfaction in being right.

This civil war might prove to be the worst the galaxy had ever seen, and she was embroiled in the middle of it.  The Resistance was weak without the Republic to support her, and the First Order was weakened by the loss of their great weapon.  But both were bolstered by supporters who thought they could determine who would win, and things were not as simple as they once were.

The council met daily, sometimes late into the night, to discuss what to do.  As more heads of state threw in their support, more representatives appeared at the council and less could be done effectively.  The General relied on her own people to carry out her commands, but she couldn’t be everywhere.  She needed help.

One way that help came was from a former Stormtrooper – losing Finn was a great detriment to the First Order, for more reasons than the intelligence he could provide to their enemy.  He was clever and tactically-minded, easily seeing a way through issues that might otherwise set the council to bickering.  His insight was greatly valued, and he soon had the status of General Organa’s second in command.  He inspired loyalty amongst the others, especially the pilots who followed Poe Dameron.  The two were fast friends and they worked very well together.

Luke Skywalker’s presence was always a benefit, and she felt that things couldn’t really be as bad as she feared when he was nearby.  His realm was not political, though he was willing to render assistance however he was needed, and he spent his time training Rey or furthering his own understanding of the Force.  He’d changed since he’d left – he was quieter, but more clear-sighted.  If she went to him for advice, he was able to see much more than she could.  He would not, however, often volunteer information, and seemed almost pained when she asked.

And Rey… Well, she was close to Leia’s heart.

 

The nightmare again.  Unkar Plutt had followed her, had found her, had taken her back to Jakku.  Her house was gone – unsurprising – and she had to scrape by again, forced to work for him as practically a slave.  He promised to find her family, to give her a way out of here, if she would only do the work he was asking for.  It wasn’t much, he assured her, just enough to pay for his efforts.

Morning was still a few hours away when she sat bolt upright, then pulled her knees up against her chest.  The other nightmares she sometimes had, the ones where she was being chased, were much more preferable.  Because this one was the most real.  The cold of her room was a relief after the heat of her former home, and helped convince her that she was far from that old life of living day to day, of starving and struggling, of fear combined with the unbearably mundane.  She could easily convince her waking mind that her new friends, her new family, would never let her go back to that life against her will.  But, somehow, while she slept, she worried that they might leave her like her old one did.  That she could never live up to their expectations and they would abandon her.

None of them knew what that was like, not really.  Leia had a loving family, and not knowing whom her father was until his death was likely a benefit.  Similarly, Luke’s family had provided a good home, even if he was technically an orphan.  Certainly he’d dealt with abandonment when he’d grown up, but that was different.  He had thought his real parents dead.  And Rey didn’t think that he could really blame them for dying.  Not the way she could blame her family for leaving.

It was a problem, Luke had told her – a problem to dwell on these things.  It was important to let go of the past, not be tethered to someone you used to be.  And she tried, she really did, but sometimes…  Sometimes it was hard to understand why she was left behind, and harder to understand why anyone now would want to keep her.

Finn didn’t know anything about his family.  They might be alive somewhere, wondering what happened to their son.  But, more likely, the First Order had conscripted any able bodies and killed the rest.  It was efficient, and they were nothing if not efficient.  So, if any of his relatives were still living, they were likely part of the First Order.  It seemed unlikely that anyone else had escaped like he had.

Sometimes she wondered if it were better that way – not knowing.  She’d give anything not to know that she’d been left on Jakku intentionally.  How much better it would be to have gotten separated in another way.  She suspected that her family had not returned for her because they were dead.  It had been fifteen long years – there was no other real excuse.  Except for the haunting thought that they’d never wanted to return.  Her memories of being abandoned were vague and distant, and she couldn’t help but wonder how much of it, and the time before that, she’d invented as a lonely child.  How much of it was real?  Would she even recognize her family if she saw them again?

She had a new family.  Luke and Leia had accepted her readily into their confidence, perhaps in part because of their recent losses.  And Finn had been accepted, too, particularly by Leia.  Rey was happy to see her friend excelling here.  He didn’t like to talk about his history, unless it was in facts that could help their mission, and she often wondered what his life was like before.  It couldn’t have been too pleasant – not if he was willing to risk everything to leave.  And he’d just wanted to run then, fleeing a power he’d seen as unbeatable.

It was obvious that he didn’t feel that way now.  Rey didn’t usually sit in on council meetings, but she heard from the others – mainly Leia – how they went.  And how skilled he was at seeing the best course of action.  Finn’s stories were generally more modest of his accomplishments, though he enjoyed telling her the particulars of running a political power during a civil war.  It was delightful to hear him explain it, though often out of her depth.  Her education had been somewhat lacking in her youth.

She spent her days learning, sometimes to make up for what everyone else had been taught while she was carving a living out of the desert.  Even Finn was much better versed in the relevant powers, though he’d had to unlearn much of what had been drilled into his head.  Poe and Luke and Leia had been in the thick of things for thirty years.  She would never be as comfortable with all of this as they were.  Fortunately, Luke preferred to avoid the political sphere, and he’d certainly done great things for the galaxy.  So perhaps there was hope for her, too, in spite of her lack of knowledge.

When the sun rose on her musings, she got out of bed and dressed.  The great hall where food was served always made her uncomfortable – a lifetime of protecting any sustenance she found was hard to unlearn.  She preferred to eat when there weren’t many other people present, and early mornings were as good a time as any.  Only a handful were scattered around, which was a relief.  She selected her breakfast carefully – overeating was a danger and she was still working on portion control – and found a seat by herself.  Taking her time over her breakfast, she contemplated what to do with her day.

Most days involved meditation alone, training with Luke for a few hours, and then helping out around the base.  Sometimes that meant lessons, but more often it meant working on repairs.  She’d always had a knack for fixing things, and the pilots and mechanics were very appreciative when she came down to help.  It was great that Poe was usually there, since she was still shy around people she didn’t know.  The overwhelming positivity that came her way when she found a solution to a difficult problem made it worth the awkwardness, though.

When she was done eating, she headed toward the room where she usually trained, and was surprised to find Luke waiting for her.

“Good morning,” he said with a smile from where he was sitting on the floor, a bag placed in front of him.

She sank onto the mat across from him, looking at the bag curiously.  Metal of some kind glinted.  “What is it?”

“See for yourself.”

Happy to comply, she pulled the bag toward her and opened it.  The mechanical pieces were unrecognizable, though the tools that accompanied them were familiar.  She frowned at the arrangement thoughtfully.

“I think you’re ready,” Luke said.  Her confusion must have shown because he smiled.  “It’s just missing one thing.  A crystal.  We will have to go get one for you.”

“To make my own lightsaber?” she asked, awed.

He leaned down to spread the metal pieces apart a little more.  “I thought… a staff might be more comfortable,” he offered.

A happy grin lit up her face and she nodded.  “It’s perfect,” she assured him.  “When do we leave?”

“Now.”


	2. Your Voice I Never Heard, Only Silence

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I figured I'd give you the second chapter right away so you can see both sides :) Comments are greatly appreciated!

Supreme Leader Snoke was dead.  This was unexpected, though not unprecedented, and the heads of the Imperial Remnant were anxious to meet with the new leader to determine if they should continue their support of the First Order.  It was through Snoke’s influence that they’d been willing to put aside their differences and ally to form the Order originally, and were skeptical of whether or not it could continue without him.

The stories they had heard of Kylo Ren did not inspire confidence – he was a powerful Force-user with little interest in playing the political games his master had employed to gain control.  He styled himself as another Darth Vader, and those who remembered the old days did not think very highly of that idea.  However, young Hux, son of the renowned Brendol Hux, had thrown in his support.  And the boy was a skilled politician, so perhaps their worries were unfounded.

A meeting was arranged through General Hux and the old generals prepared their finest uniforms and most easily concealable weapons to head to Borosk.  There was an ancient castle where Snoke had set up operations, and Kylo Ren had apparently seen no reason to relocate after killing his master.  Ranks of Stormtroopers filled the building and camped out in the courtyard, Stormtroopers loyal to the illustrious Captain Phasma.  Phasma, who also served Kylo Ren, and had for years.  It was a show of strength that did not go unnoticed by the former Imperial officers and their descendants as they were admitted and shown to their respective rooms.

 

“Sir…  Perhaps you should sit down,” Captain Phasma suggested levelly.

Kylo Ren stopped his pacing to look at her sharply.  She was unaffected, as usual, by his temper, and he turned to look out the window again.  “Where’s Hux?” he growled.

“The General will be joining us shortly.  Before the others arrive.”

“Good.”  He left the window to drop unceremoniously into the chair at the head of the table.  It was times like these that he really wished he hadn’t left his mask behind.  Or had made a new one.  But he suspected covering his face would cause the various leaders of the Imperial Remnant to think even less of him.  Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes to settle his nerves.  Unlike Hux, who had spent most of his career in meeting rooms, he had served through action and found this kind of thing tedious.  The wisdom of placating the council was not lost on him – he just hated it.  But he sat up in the chair, determined to look the part.

“Sir, they’ve all arrived and are awaiting your pleasure,” Hux reported stiffly as he entered the room.

“Send them in,” Kylo Ren replied calmly.

Phasma moved to stand behind him as the Knights of Ren entered the room.  They bowed, and took their places around the dais much as Phasma had.  Then the rest came in – mostly old men in their Imperial uniforms, with a few sons and other interested parties.  He’d met some of them before, but Snoke had always been careful to keep his people spread out and answerable only to him.  As much good as that did him.  Their scrutiny of Kylo Ren was expected but unpleasant, and he returned their stares coldly, a fist clenched under the table.

There were some mumblings, but it was mostly silent as everyone filed in and settled down around the table.  Some looks of annoyance or offense were directed at the table when the seating arrangement did not meet expectations.  No one looked for long at Kylo Ren, or his Knights.  Nervousness spread through the assembly as they considered the number of Dark Side users in the room, particularly as nothing was done to soften the military edge of the event.

Finally, Kylo Ren stood and everyone looked up at him.  “The Resistance has destroyed two of our bases.  The Republic is gone and yet they gain power.  Our enemies are increasing as our allies flee to those who appear stronger.  If they can, they will drive us out.  And there will be nowhere to run, no safe corner of the galaxy to nurse your wounds.  They will not make the same mistake again.”

The generals exchanged glances.  He could feel what they thought of him – this petulant boy who had killed their leader.  His eyes narrowed.

“Leader, if I may,” Hux interjected.  Kylo Ren gave him a nod, and Hux stepped forward smartly while Kylo, gloved hands clasped behind his back, slowly circled the room.  “Our weapon is gone, but we did some good with it while we could.  Giving our enemy a single target was an unwise decision of our previous leader’s.  Going forward, we will have to impress upon our enemies how powerful we truly are.  We have developed weapons they can only dream of, and our men outnumber theirs.  Our Stormtrooper program is the most effective training regimen in the galaxy.  But we cannot defeat them if the rest of the galaxy takes their side.  We must show our strength to attract as many allies as we can.”

“And how does Kylo Ren propose we do that?” one of the oldest generals present, Beid Byehtho, wanted to know.

General Hux looked at his leader sharply while Kylo Ren turned to face the man who had spoken, the scar slicing through his face contorting as he frowned.  “You want a show of strength, Byehtho?” he asked.

Beid glanced uncertainly at his fellows, then back to the young man.  “Sir,” he began slowly.

Kylo Ren resumed his pacing but maintained eye contact with Beid.  “Without me, you would not have the Finalizer.  You would not have the kyber crystals that power her.  My Knights and I have been finding your enemies and destroying them while you sat back in your palace and did nothing.  We have bled and died for the cause, and what have you done?”  Offended, Beid’s eyes narrowed.

 General Hux started forward, brow furrowed.  “Sir,” he tried.

Without glancing away from old general, Kylo Ren threw up a hand and froze Hux in place, eliciting a few gasps and an angry look from Brendol Hux, the young General’s father.  “I asked you a question,” he continued ominously as he moved closer to where Beid was seated.

“We have provided the First Order with many resources,” Beid stated coldly.

“And this makes you irreplaceable?”

Eyes widening, Beid looked around the table for some kind of assistance.  When none was forthcoming, he dared to meet Kylo Ren’s gaze.  “I apologize for the question, sir.  We have all dedicated much to the cause and deserve to see that our interests will still be honored under new leadership.”

The smile that twisted across Kylo Ren’s face made Beid quail, expecting to be made example of by this … monster. 

“I see.”  He straightened to his full height and continued around the table.  The generals couldn’t help but feel like they were being circled by a predator, and many reached for their concealed weaponry.  “Tell me, Byehtho, if you wish to depose me, whom will you set up in my place?”

Silence hung heavy as some glanced at frightened Beid, frozen Hux, the implacable Phasma, and unmoving Knights.  Few looked at Kylo Ren, who finished his circuitous path and stopped to wait with obvious patience for a response.  When none came, he held out a hand, and Beid began to writhe in pain.

“You thought you might take over?  Byehtho, leader of the First Order.  I’m sure it has a ring to it.  But your allies around this table do not know the real you, do they?  The bribes, the real reason for the medals you acquired during the Rebellion, the underhanded dealings in the corporate sector.  You are not well-liked there, are you? You would not be able to bring them to our side.  And we need them, don’t we, Hux?” 

The general in question took an awkward step forward as he regained control of himself.  With a delicate sniff to express his annoyance, he straightened his coat.  “Yes, Leader.”

Kylo Ren released Beid as well, who crumpled in his chair, and surveyed the men before him.  “I have served the Supreme Leader my whole life.  He failed all of us.  You will not retreat to your private empires in his absence.  You will serve me.  Those who fail me will join Snoke.”

The Knights of Ren suddenly stood and moved to surround the table, causing the generals to draw their weapons.  Kylo Ren gestured casually, freezing all of them in place.

“You will each be the host of one of my Knights.  It will be a show of good faith on your part.  Prepare your armies.  We have much to do.”  With that, he stalked out of the room, his Knights soon following.

Turning to look at Hux, the freed and offended generals began to spout questions.  He waved them off.  “Our Leader is strong.  The Last Jedi has returned and we will need that strength if we are to survive.”

“He’s unpredictable, Bren,” the elder Hux said gruffly.

“Perhaps we have allowed ourselves to become too predictable,” was his son’s cold response.

There were murmurs, some of assent, and Captain Phasma stepped forward.  “He is your leader now, gentlemen.  I suggest you accept it.  He does not react well to disappointment.”  Her tone was ominous and she strode out of the room, leaving them to imagine what she was implying.

 Aware of the beseeching looks directed towards him, Hux held up his hands.  “Phasma has served with him for years.  She wouldn’t follow Kylo Ren if he wasn’t our best option.  He will lead us to glorious victory.”  Pausing, he glanced at the closed doors.  “And, if he’s not the ideal ruler during peace-time, I’m sure we can deal with that later.”

 

In the anteroom to his chambers, Kylo Ren was pacing while his Knights stood in silence around the room.  His fists were clenched as he considered the wisdom of his threats.  The generals had come out in force, and there was little chance of the Stormtroopers stationed around the castle keeping them at bay if it came to a fight.  Of course, the fact that he had Force-users on his side would tip the scales, and was likely a significant deterrent.  Not to mention the rumors of his own abilities, combined with the brief show he’d just put on.  If he could truly seize power here today, then things might work out the way he wanted.

“Iton, switch with Lyek – you’re with Hux’s father.  Watch him closely.   He’ll want to exploit his son’s position.  Now go, all of you.  Ingratiate yourselves as much as possible and report when you can.”

“Yes, Master,” was the response before the Knights left him alone.

Carefully locking the door, he ran his fingers through his hair as he continued to pace, thinking.  The emotions in the castle were running high and it felt like a harsh buzz in his ears.  Taking a deep breath, he dropped onto the floor and focused on somewhere much more peaceful.


	3. Where Were You When Our Hearts Were Bleeding?

The Hosnian System was gone.  Coruscant was the natural place for the remaining powers in the galaxy to meet.  It was in the core, and had once been the seat of the government.  It might return there, as both the Resistance and the First Order were seeking to control it.  Right now, though, it was a neutral planet, as was much of the core.  Those planets closest to where Starkiller had been threw in their lots with the Order, but the loyalty did not stretch far.

Dantooine, for example, was unofficially in support of the Resistance.  It was of strategic importance, but thus far was not allowing any troops to be stationed or any representatives to be hosted.  There were a suspicious amount of trade vessels getting boarded in Resistance-space and losing their cargo before returning to Dantooine.  The fact that the queen there did nothing in retaliation showed her hand – clearly, she supported her old friend from the end of the last war.

 Hutt space had always been largely ignored by the Republic and the Empire, and was now growing in power.  While there were treaties in place to prevent it, the Hutts saw that these would not be enforced and took advantage of the chaos to take over their neighbors.  Life was quickly becoming more difficult on the Outer Rim, as galactic laws were flagrantly disobeyed.  The Hutts were not the only ones to act.

Trade routes had become exponentially more dangerous.  Pirates were on the rise, and prices were driven up to account for lost goods.  Which only increased the number of pirates, as life became unaffordable.  Neither the Resistance nor the First Order had the power to address the problem, and both were focused the war.  So the needs of the galaxy went unmet, and it was easy to affix blame to one power or the other.

The neutral planets were an asset for both sides – it was a resource that did not need to be defended.  One of these, on the Rimma Trade Route, called Sullust, was known for its mines.  Luke Skywalker and his student, Rey, journeyed there to get a kyber crystal.  Their presence must go unnoticed to avoid pulling the planet into having to choose a side, so they did not take the Millennium Falcon.  Luke had persuaded General Organa that it would be best if it were just the two of them, and she’d finally relented.

Two people in the span of the galaxy would hardly be noticed, he reasoned, and she was forced to agree.  Rey was piloting their small ship, which was hardly of any interest to the pirates, and they attracted little attention as they landed in one of the smaller cities.  Payment was required to leave their ship in the landing bay, which made Luke frown, but then they were on their way.

“Kyber crystals are rare, and hard to move.  It’s not profitable to mine them, generally.  Only Force-users are interested in them,” Luke explained as they walked through the woods outside of town.  His hood was pulled over his head and his hands were tucked in his sleeves, making him look very much the Jedi from legend that Rey had always pictured.

She had her own robe and copied his stance, smiling to herself.  Though there were those in the Resistance who treated her differently, who treated her as a Jedi-in-training, it was not often that she was reminded of her status.  And being here, with her master, made her think it must be how everyone saw them, and she liked that idea.

“Force-users aren’t a good customer?” she asked thoughtfully.

Luke smiled grimly.  “Not since before I was born.”

Appropriately sobered by the reminder, she focused on walking.  Luke didn’t often talk about the fact of what his father had done.  Sometimes he talked about Anakin Skywalker, but almost never about Darth Vader.  He had, however, come to terms with who his father was, unlike his sister.  It was apparent, at least to Rey, that Leia still struggled with it.  Rey wondered if the wounds were fresher because of Kylo Ren – if they would have both been more willing to accept Darth Vader/Anakin Skywalker if the last thirty years hadn’t given them reason to remember the Dark Side.

“How many of us are there?”

“Not many.  A lot of people are Force-sensitive, and some even follow the Force religiously.  But the power to manipulate it is extremely rare.  And even those of us who can…  Well, not everyone has the same aptitude.”

She frowned slightly, processing this.  “Is there a way to find others?”

Coming to a stop where the path they’d been following turned into a tunnel, Luke looked at her thoughtfully.  She shifted her weight when he didn’t answer right away, concerned about what he might be able to read.  “It’s recognizable when you come across someone who has the capabilities,” he explained at last.

She bit her lip and turned her attention ahead, impatient to continue.

“Rey.”

The muscle in her jaw jumped as she forced herself to meet her master’s gaze.

“You will have to go in alone.  Don’t be afraid.  Trust the Force – and trust yourself.  Whatever you see…  You can overcome.”

“Luke,” she murmured, and he smiled kindly.

“You can do this,” he told her reassuringly.

She looked ahead again, then back at him.  “What did you see?”

His eyebrows rose slightly at the question, clearly not expecting it.  “I saw my enemy, but with my face.  I…  It was a reminder of how easy it would be for me to turn to the Dark Side.”  She must have looked afraid because he put his hand on her shoulder.  “You are one of the strongest people I’ve ever known, Rey.  You will see your fears, but you can overcome them.”

She gave him a nod and made her way forward.  Luke sat down to wait, fighting the apprehension that threatened to overwhelm him.  She would be fine.  It wouldn’t be like the last time.

 

The path was well-worn as it left the forest and turned downward into an old mine.  It hadn’t been used in a long time, and she picked her way carefully, looking out for anything obscuring the narrowing tunnel.  Her breath was caught in her throat and she was unsuccessfully trying to focus on calming thoughts.  Nothing was working.  It was dark and her light barely showed enough for her to keep walking, let alone what might lie ahead.

There were plenty of times she’d gone into the unknown alone, she reminded herself.  Finding valuable parts to salvage required going places that others were unwilling to go, and the inside of old star destroyers was hardly safe.  Somehow, though, the thought of being surrounded by cold metal and wires was preferable to rock and stone.  Perhaps it was just lack of familiarity, or perhaps it was the growing sense of power that she remembered noticing when she’d been on Ahch-To with Luke.  The old Jedi Temple had been rife with it, though she hadn’t had the skills to recognize it then like she could now.  As she moved deeper into the caves, the stronger it felt.

Suddenly, she felt like the ground was shaking beneath her and she fell heavily forward.  The ceiling above her collapsed and she rolled out of the way just in time.  Dragging herself to her feet, she was shocked to see Luke standing there, lightsaber drawn.

“Rey?” he questioned, reaching out to touch the rocks.  Chewbacca was suddenly behind him, expressing his concern.  “I don’t know, Chewie.  If she’s caught with him, I don’t…  I don’t know what he’ll do.”  His voice was pained and he looked almost desperately at the barrier.

The cavern abruptly faded and she found herself strapped to a chair.  The restraints did not budge as she tested them, and she looked up to see him crouching there, watching her.  He was looking for the map.  She couldn’t show him.  If he knew where Luke was…  What would he do?

But then he had the map and he was going to Ahch-To and she was powerless to stop him.  She watched, terrified, as he drew his lightsaber and approached Luke, who was defenseless.  Who stood with a look of shock as he was cut down by his nephew.  She screamed, and suddenly found herself on the Resistance base on D’Qar.

Leia’s hand was wrapped like a vice around her upper arm.  “My brother is dead because of you.  Because you couldn’t keep him out,” she snarled.

Covering her face with her hands, Rey dropped to her knees and tried to explain what had happened.  Finn was there, and Poe, and they were looking at her in disgust.  She was put on a ship and Chewbacca took her back to Jakku.  There were no supportive growls this time, no farewells.  He left her and she was trapped here.  Again.

Unkar Plutt, that vulture, was waiting at her house.  He was pleased in that greasy way of his to have her returned to him.  To his servitude.  Shaking her head, she tried to remember what Luke had said before she went in here, but the feeling of despair threatened to overwhelm her, and she ran inside her house.

It was the same as it had been, untouched, which the more rational part of her brain considered unlikely.  Collapsing, she felt the walls closing around her and she curled up into a ball.  She couldn’t do this.  She couldn’t handle what they were asking of her, what everyone was asking.  She just wanted to go home, no matter how small a life that was.  At least she knew what she was doing, what she could expect.  Nothing ever changed, but at least no one looked to her to affect the state of the galaxy.  It was too much.

Her eyes were closed, and she took a few deep breaths.  Everyone told her how powerful she was – was she just going to let her fears control her?  Or was she going to do something about it?  Resolve filled her as she stood up, holding out her hands until the walls of her home returned to their usual size.  For a moment, she lingered, considering her old life.  Then she pushed again and it all disappeared.

The cave was back – the real one, she was relatively certain.  There were crystals glinting in the walls and she moved forward calmly.  Surveying her options carefully, she found one that called to her.  Breaking it out of the stone surrounding it was easy, and she turned to make her way back out of the cavern.


	4. Where Were You? It All Crashed Down

The First Order was not the only power in the Imperial Remnant.  After the Emperor was assassinated, civil war broke out.  The Rebellion gained traction steadily over the years and overthrew the Empire.  In its place, a New Republic was formed.  In a response to the years of oppression under the previous regime, few hard and fast rules were created or enforced. The main thing that could be agreed upon was the necessity of monitoring trade routes.  Everyone had an interest in keeping these relatively safe for travel.  Those who dared to traverse the galaxy on different paths knew what they were getting into – and were likely doing something illegal anyway.  So the New Republic did not concern itself with these things.

Systems were relieved to no longer be under the thumb of the Empire, and many took advantage of being able to run things how they saw fit again.  It was certainly one of the attractive parts of the Rebellion – being free to do as you pleased without interference.  While tempting, it meant that there was little interest in compromise, in making the galaxy run as a whole.  So things began to slip through the cracks and the New Republic was revealed as the mere façade that it was.  The Empire had been an efficient and respected government – the New Republic was neither of those things.

When the war ended, there was peace for a while.  There were celebrations and rejoicing – but then it was time to get back to work.  And there were reparations to be made, things to be rebuilt, new laws to be established.  So what was left of the Empire, those still loyal to the cause, were able to retreat to the Outer Rim more or less unhindered.  Once entrenched in that region, the New Republic was uninterested in pursuing them.  What did it matter if they clung to the edge of the galaxy?

And maybe that line of thinking was right, if it weren’t for Snoke.  The rest of the Imperials were content to rule their own planets and reminisce about the old days.  But Snoke wanted more – he wanted everything.  So he gathered to him those who remained loyal, those who had something to gain from retaking the galaxy.  The Imperial Remnant became unified in that goal, and supporters were courted who could provide ships and manpower.

Brendol Hux had a plan for Stormtrooper training, and he offered his holdings on Borosk as a base.  When his son was of age, Brendol retired and let the younger oversee operations and rise through the ranks of the First Order.  Orindi Ateidme, governor of Yaga Minor, provided the location for Stormtroopers to undergo their training, as well as a significant portion of her own men to join the corps.  Aleted Alyan of Bastion had the ore deposits to create a new fleet.  Mirzam Hispuli of Bescane had the factories to offer.

And so on.  The seven governors of the Imperial Remnant pooled their resources to make the First Order much more powerful than the scattered New Republic, or the underfunded Resistance.  And Snoke prevented any squabbling – it was an adjustment to being ruled again, but the former generals fell in line.  When they grew too old to make war, they sent their children in their place.  The First Order was young, and its leaders became so as well.

Then Kylo Ren overthrew Snoke and took control of the seven planets in the Imperial Remnant.  His Knights, also seven, were a perfect way to keep an eye on the old generals and their children.  He wondered if Snoke had planned it that way all along.  In any case, the resistance to his rule that the old generals expressed was not mirrored in the Knights.  He had been their master for a long time, and they were accustomed to the Dark Side rule of two, though they no longer valued it.  So they had hardly reacted when he’d summoned them, moments after killing Snoke.

He’d been concerned about their response.  Phasma and Hux were no concern – he knew what was in their heads.  But the Knights were too Force-sensitive for him to read covertly, and they were much less obvious in their actions.  When they’d filed into the room, always in rank order, he detected barely more than a hint of surprise.  Then they’d kneeled before him, as they always did, and were prepared to take whatever orders he had to give.  Perhaps that’s why Snoke had kept them around.  He didn’t know what the former leader’s plans had been for his group of Force-users.

It had taken more time initially to earn their regard, he remembered.  More than just the minor show he’d put on for the governors had been necessary for them to accept him as their master.  Young as he was, it had been a challenge – some of them had been studying the Force for longer than he’d been alive.  But he’d proven himself capable, and had never been given a reason to doubt their loyalty.  Especially when Snoke separated them, which he now realized was because of the threat they posed if they were unified.  Once his influence over them was established, Snoke had been quick to isolate him.  It was a clever tactic, but it had not paid off.  The Knights of Ren were his, and he needed them to keep the First Order in line.

Of their number, Iton Ren was the most powerful, but she could not compare in strength to Kylo Ren.  None could – except for a girl from Jakku.

“Leader,” Iton stated as she entered the room, kneeling.

Turning from the window where he had been ruminating, Kylo strode across the hall toward her.  “Stand and report,” he ordered.  He disliked having people bow before him, but wasn’t sure if he should dispense with it just yet.

She did as asked, staring straight ahead as she spoke.  “The elder Hux confers with his son, the General, daily.  I have not been granted access to these conversations.”

“But?”

Shifting her weight, she met his gaze for a moment.  “They… have a subversive quality that requires further scrutiny.”

“And?”

“I will endeavor to find out something substantial, sir.”

“Good.”  He stepped away from her to pace and she held still, waiting.

Finally, she glanced over at him.  “Sir?”

“I have a task for you, but perhaps it would be best to keep you with Hux for the time being.”

She considered when he looked at her appraisingly.  “I have made little progress, sir, and my skills might be better utilized elsewhere.”

Nodding, he reached into his belt and removed a chip.  “Destroy this when you’ve finished with it.”

“Yes, sir.”

When she held out her hand, he paused, momentarily uncertain, then looked her in the eye.  “You will not fail me, Iton.”

“I will not,” she agreed gravely.

With a short nod, he dropped it and then turned abruptly away, leaving her alone in the hall.

 

As a child, Ben Solo had spent a great deal of time with his mother.  The New Republic required constant attention, and she usually brought him with her to deal with each new crisis.  He’d played quietly in the corner, but he learned a lot about the politics of the galaxy.  And about how ineffectual the new government really was.  Complaints were brought forward, complaints of horrifying acts (at least they seemed so at the time), of treaties being broken, of how terrible life could be without a greater power to keep the peace.

Those without power were used and abused by those who could get away with it, and the New Republic refused to intervene.  The pleas of the galaxy fell on deaf ears – how could that be allowed?  So when Snoke came along, agreeing with Ben instead of his mother’s assurances that it was more complicated than that, he’d been willing to listen.  And now he had the ability to change the galaxy however he wanted.

Except that wasn’t what he wanted – it never had been, not for long.  Looking at the growing mess of reports and requests waiting for his approval, he suppressed a sigh.  The governors, the old generals, were pushing their limits.  His demonstration at their meeting had been somewhat effective, but they still tested to see how much he would allow them to do.  And he was uncertain how to proceed.

This had always been his destiny – maybe not on this side, but his lineage would never allow him to live quietly.  Or to serve someone else.  He had always known that he was seen as an heir to Leia Organa, to Luke Skywalker.  And it was too much.  His immediate family had done what they could to mitigate the pressure, but never enough.  He’d been drowning in legacy and running away to someone who had seen him for himself, not for whom his parents were, had been very tempting.  And yet he still ended up being one of the greater powers in the galaxy.

He wondered if she worried about that – the girl from Jakku – the girl called Rey.  If she thought of what it meant to be Luke Skywalker’s heir, and if she was afraid.  At least General Organa did not treat her the same way.  As far as he could tell, the traitor had become her student.  The thought of that man still made his blood boil, but he pushed the feeling aside.  Hux assured him that no sensitive intelligence would be provided to the Resistance from that quarter – at least not anymore.

So Leia had her heir, and Luke had his, and there was no need for Ben Solo.  No one waiting for him, no more fathers to come to try to fetch him.  So it was fortunate that he no longer existed.


	5. Never Thought That You'd Deceive Me

The biggest difference between her old staff and her new one was that this one could burn her if she wasn’t careful.  She had to be mindful of that, and of how easily it would be to burn someone else.  Otherwise, it was a fairly easy transition to using the lightstaff she’d made, and Luke seemed impressed by her progress.  That was a delight – though he always seemed impressed.  So maybe that was just how he was.

There was the unspoken assumption that she was training to be able to defeat Kylo Ren, so most of her practice time was spent against Luke and his lightsaber.  Neither of them mentioned why she had to learn to block this particular style of fighting, nor how such a fight would have to end.  It was a relief when she was able to train against other weapons instead, because then Luke was much less close-lipped and worried.  She was excelling against the riot control baton that Stormtroopers often carried – it was a familiar fighting style – and doing better against blasters.  Blocking them with her staff, anyway.

In her youth, she’d fought hand to hand to protect herself and her belongings.  Scavengers tended to back off quickly when presented with a real threat, though, so these fights had never lasted long.  She knew the basics but was unprepared to go up against trained soldiers.  But now that they were officially at war, she had to be ready.  Sparring took up most of her time these days, and sometimes Finn joined her.

He had spent his entire life learning to fight, so was a valuable teacher.  When Leia could spare him, he’d come down and give her pointers on how to go up against a Stormtrooper – which was particularly helpful.  Luke also taught him some of the basics of using a lightsaber, and that gave her another opponent against whom to practice.  Even if it was difficult for either of them to commit to an action that might hurt the other.

On rare occasion, Poe would also come visit her and Luke.  She supposed that someone (maybe Luke but probably Leia) limited how many interruptions they might experience, but she was glad to see her friends.  Poe was always so positive and supportive.  Mostly she only saw him in the evenings, when she was done for the day.

Her trips to the hangar were increasingly limited until she was feeling restless.  Even though she was making progress in her Force-training, and doing well enough in weapons training, it would sure be nice to do something she already knew how to do.  Something at which she was already good enough.  But she knew the importance of what she was doing and did her best to stay focused.

 

Finn’s life was continuing to take surprising turns.  He didn’t remember his childhood, but he did remember growing up in the First Order.  That had been monotonous though not particularly unpleasant.  They were kept in prime physical condition and learned enough to do their jobs well.  Droid armies were replaced for a reason, and the First Order needed soldiers who could think on their feet, not just follow orders.  Particularly in the early days.

It hadn’t been an easy decision to leave, to run from what he perceived to be the greatest power in the galaxy.  But after he saw what it was really like, what they were really doing in the field, he couldn’t stay.  He hadn’t expected to join the other side, of course – flight had been his only concern when he’d taken Poe Dameron from his cell.  None of the events for the next few days could have been predicted and he sometimes felt like maybe all of that was a dream.  It certainly had a dreamlike quality to it.

Until he remembered when they took Rey.  Getting attached was strongly discouraged in the Stormtrooper corps, though he’d had a few he’d considered friends.  But they weren’t like her, and he couldn’t bear the thought of her being subjected to what he knew could happen to First Order prisoners, especially when it was his fault.  But, somehow, she’d escaped and continued to impress him with her abilities to overcome what he’d always considered insurmountable.

To protect her, he had come back.  He could have been on the Outer Rim, where no one would know or care who he was.  But then she would be taken and tortured because of him – because he’d gotten her involved in all of this.  So he’d returned, and found a way to get to her.  It had worked out mostly for the best – Starkiller was destroyed.  And even if they’d lost people…  It was a war.

When he’d recovered, he had done what he could to repay how everyone had helped him.  He didn’t tell anyone that his only reason for leading the mission had been because he needed to find Rey, and was uncomfortable with how much faith they put in him to lead further missions.  Somehow, he was successful despite his misgivings.  The Resistance did not have a rigorous training program like their enemy did – and it put them at a distinct disadvantage.  He was practically an unseasoned novice by First Order standards, but that wasn’t true in the Resistance.

General Organa had put together a force to counter the acts of the First Order.  The Republic had not considered them enough of a threat to address, content as they were to leave the Imperial Remnant its corner of the galaxy. The general’s insistence that the corner was never going to be enough fell on deaf ears.  So she sought out her friends and allies from the Rebellion to form the Resistance.

Their ships were old – building new ones was against the galactic concordance – and many of the soldiers were as well.  As the First Order presented itself as more of a threat, more people in the Republic saw the wisdom of the general’s actions.  Much needed financial support was finally provided, so long as the Resistance kept its operations covert and did nothing to blatantly go against the sovereignty of the First Order.

With the destruction of the Hosnian System and the Republic, the lines were drawn.  It was no longer necessary for the Resistance to hide its intentions.  So, by the time Finn joined up, there were much better resources.  Still, he had been shocked at the state of things compared to the First Order, and had honestly considered running again.  But he waited for Rey instead.  And when she came back with Luke Skywalker, he was convinced that they had a chance to defeat his former masters.

That’s when he accepted his abilities and used them to help the Resistance in any way he could.  General Organa’s questions about First Order policies gradually became more about strategy and tactics, and he was surprised by the potential she saw in him.  Stormtroopers did not often become officers – he did not expect to be valued for his nonphysical contributions to the cause.

Though Captain Phasma had always pushed him, clearly having high hopes for his future, he had never felt valued in the same way that General Organa valued him.  It was an honor, and one he was determined to keep.  She had lost so much in her life, the least he could do was serve her.  He understood quickly why Poe was so devoted to her, why everyone seemed to be.  She wasn’t particularly warm, so any sign of affection from her was prized.

Rey might be the reason he came here, but she was no longer the only reason.  So the fact that she spent less and less time with him as she trained with Luke didn’t bother him as much as it might have.  He found his own time taken up with politics and war – though he did go see her whenever he could.  Luke let him use his lightsaber sometimes, which was great.  If he came up against Kylo Ren again, Finn would not be the one walking away scarred.  Rey didn’t like to talk about what happened after he’d been incapacitated, but he knew it must be bad and didn’t want her subjected to that again.

“Good morning, Finn,” General Organa said as she came into the room.

Finn looked up from the viewport he’d been considering before getting lost in thought.  “General,” he responded.

With a slight smile, she walked over to see what he was looking at.  “Any progress?”

A sigh escaped him as he shook his head.  “The First Order is spreading and the neutral territories are in their control.  They’ve gotten much more aggressive since we destroyed their last base.”

“They have,” she agreed.  “It’s unlike Snoke to move so quickly, but maybe he was just waiting for the opportunity.”

“In any case, most folks aren’t fighting back when the First Order shows up – which is probably wise.  I’ve see what they do to – I’ve seen what they do.”

“I know.  I know they seem all-powerful.  We need to prove that they’re not.”

He frowned slightly.  “How do we do that?”

Glancing around, she sank into a chair.  “I was going to wait for the council, but perhaps we should do this without them,” she murmured.  Then, clearing her throat, she continued.  “I received word this morning that one of the governors from the Imperial Remnant has traveled to Coruscant.  I believe it’s safe to assume he’s working for the First Order, and it would be a great benefit to us if we could take him alive.  The intelligence he could provide is invaluable, and losing one of their leaders will be the blow to the First Order that we need.”

Finn nodded slowly.  “How will we take him?”

She smiled encouragingly at him.  “That’s why I’m talking to you, Finn.” 

Looking back at the map, he considered.  “He will have a security detail, at minimum,” he muttered.

“It’s possible that one or more Knights of Ren will be accompanying him, from what I gather.”

“I’ve never run into them,” he admitted, concerned.

Her lips pressed into a thin line for a moment.  “Luke says Rey needs to test her strength in the field, so I thought perhaps they could join you and deal with any Knights you come across.”

The confusing combination of delight and worry washed over him – it would be great to see Rey in action, but he didn’t know if he could protect her.  “I think that will work,” he said after a moment.

General Organa gave him an understanding smile, and they started to plan.


	6. Where Are You Now?

Lyek Ren was supposed to shadow Brendol Hux and his son.  But his master had insisted Iton Ren have that task.  It made sense.  She was the best of them – after their leader, of course.  And the Hux family was the most likely to cause problems.  She was not, however, as skilled at subterfuge as Lyek and he couldn’t help but think his talents were somewhat wasted here, on Entralla.  Beid Byehtho was governor of the planet, and he was at least somewhat cowed after Kylo Ren had put him in his place.

But Lyek had taken his vows many years ago – he was used to waiting.  He’d waited for Snoke to come, for Snoke to call them out of hiding, for other Force-users to out themselves, for Kylo Ren to prove himself, for Kylo Ren to take Snoke’s place.  More waiting was hardly unexpected.  And Byehtho certainly needed watching – he did not appreciate what he perceived as disrespect from his new leader.  And was not fond of having a Knight – a spy – in his own household.  It would present a pleasant challenge to discover what the man’s intentions were.

So while his sister stayed close to their master, he waited patiently for Byehtho to make a mistake.  Lyek was not privy to his dealings, but there was little he could really hide from someone Snoke had trained.  They were all adept at reading the minds of others, though Kylo Ren had always had the most talent.  More than Snoke, perhaps.  It would explain how he was able to kill their former leader without him suspecting it.  The old man was wise but physically weak, and none of them were too bothered by his passing – it was the way of the Force.

Finally, the waiting paid off.  Though untrusting of Kylo Ren and the other Knights, Beid had proven himself loyal to the order by being in contact with the Corporate Sector.  Valuable funds had been transferred, and some had made their way into senators’ pockets to keep the Republic blind to what the First Order was doing.  Now that was no longer necessary, and Kylo Ren sent Beid to get his people out of Coruscant before retribution was sought.

“Sir, surely my presence isn’t necessary,” Beid protested.

Kylo Ren’s glare via a hologram was no less intimidating than it would have been in person, and Byehtho fell silent.  “This was your responsibility.  Clean it up.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Lyek Ren, protect the governor and see that he returns home when he’s done.”

“Yes, Master.”  The Knight bowed his head and the holo disappeared.

Beid looked at Lyek suspiciously.  “I have my own security detail,” he stated stiffly.

With a thin smile, Lyek wrapped his cloak around himself.  “I’m sure they are capable when faced with most threats.  But there are Jedi now.”

 

Kylo Ren continued staring at the spot where Beid and Lyek had just been, deep in thought.  Then he shook his head slightly and got to his feet.  A few measured steps brought him out of the viewing room to the main hall, where Hux was waiting patiently.  He gestured briefly to allow the other man to speak.

“Leader, we have taken another system.  Loss of men was under 30% and we have gained a good number of new conscripts to replace them.  They will need to be trained, of course, but our numbers are increasing.  Soon all of the neutral planets will either be our allies or under our control,” he stated confidently.

Hux was ostensibly his second-in-command, but he would prefer to deal with Captain Phasma.  The zeal and self-assured nature of the General rubbed him the wrong way.  But he pushed the thought away – personal preference couldn’t be part of his considerations anymore.  Striding over to the dais, he sank into the throne and sat back to assess Hux.

“Good,” he replied after a moment.  The other generals were displeased when he spoke to them in monosyllables, but Hux didn’t seem bothered.  “What news of the Resistance?”

A look of annoyance passed briefly over Hux’s face before he answered.  “There are only rumors, sir.  We do not know where they are.  The systems they choose to defend have not presented any pattern we might follow to find their base of operations.”

Kylo Ren nodded.  That was the usual answer, and he wasn’t going to let Hux know that he doubted its authenticity.  “They are retreating?”

“It appears so, sir.  We are advancing, at any rate, and they have been unable to drive us back.”

“Hmm.”

Hux shifted his weight while Kylo Ren thought.  He couldn’t help but feel a flicker of exasperation at his leader’s insistence on focusing on their enemy.  If they continued to gain traction in the galaxy as a whole, it soon wouldn’t matter what factions sought to oppose them.  The Resistance was small and lacked the resources to present a real threat – they’d been unusually lucky on two occasions, nothing more.  If they were to actually meet in battle, the First Order would easily crush them.

“You think my concerns are unfounded, Hux?” Kylo Ren interrupted his thoughts.

The older man looked up sharply.  “Of course not, sir,” he answered smoothly.

Kylo Ren smiled.  It was not a sight one welcomed, and Hux tried not to think about the fates of others who had seen that smile.  “You forget your history, General.  Organa has defeated our predecessors.  And now she has the Last Jedi with her.”

Sufficiently sobered, Hux nodded.  “As well as FN-2187 and the girl from Jakku.”

The expression on Kylo Ren’s face changed briefly and he surged to his feet.  “See that you don’t underestimate them, Hux,” he said coldly before striding out of the room.

Hux frowned after him, considering again if perhaps Kylo Ren did not make for the best leader of the First Order.

 

“That woman isn’t hovering around, is she?” Brendol Hux asked his son gruffly.  They had resorted to meeting late at night to avoid any unwanted eavesdroppers – particularly the spy, Iton Ren.

The General gave him a slight smile.  “Ren sent her elsewhere.  She left in the night and hasn’t yet returned.”

“Hmm.  Well, we can hope that she won’t any time soon.  He’s sent her one some kind of scavenger hunt that will keep her occupied for a long time, perhaps.”

“I have no idea, Father.  She didn’t say anything to me, and Ren doesn’t tell me everything.”  He did not say that Scavenger hunts were something Kylo Ren seemed unwilling to delegate these days.

That brought a displeased frown.  “Why not?  Have you not ingratiated yourself with the young Jedi Killer?”

“I have done my best, but he keeps his own counsel on some things, particularly where his Knights are concerned,” Hux explained shortly.

“Don’t take that tone with me, boy.  I know what it is like to serve with these religious fanatics.  You need him to depend on you.”

“I understand, Father.”

Brendol sat back to look at the young General thoughtfully.  “You are my son.  We have the largest holdings of any in the Imperial Remnant, and that boy will respect our claim on the First Order.  Or he will find himself suffering the same fate he saw fit for our last Leader.”

General Hux glanced around quickly, a look of fear on his face.  “Father, please.  Don’t talk that way.”

With a huff, the elder Hux shook his head.  “You are getting weak, my son.”

“You don’t understand, Father.  He can see what you’re thinking.”

“Then it wouldn’t matter if I say it or not, then, would it?” was the harsh response.

“Of course, Father.  But I am with him every day.  He could easily kill me if he suspects anything.”

“Which is why it’s important that you make yourself as indispensable to him as you were to Snoke.  These Force-users have no head for strategy – he’s already entrusted you with most of the tactical decisions.  You just need to push for a little more.”

General Hux pressed his lips together, then nodded.  “Yes, Father.”

“Keep me informed on his movements.  Uphold our lineage.  Keep your head.”

“Yes, Father.”  Brendol Hux disappeared, leaving his son to consider with a sinking feeling how difficult the last command might prove to be.

 

Iton Ren had been one of the first Knights of Ren.  She had the natural skills and the ability to think on her feet that had kept her at the forefront of the order for most of her life.  When Kylo Ren had been brought in, she had been skeptical at first.  But he’d proven himself – and impressed her – and she accepted his leadership for the brief time period before Snoke had separated all of them.

The years alone had been difficult.  She had hunted for Jedi and any other Force-users to either persuade them to join their side or get rid of the threat.  It had come as something of a shock to hear about the girl on Jakku – about how powerful she was.  How could she have avoided notice for all of these years?  The Awakening had been marked by all of the Knights, as well as Snoke, but none of them had expected to find it embodied in a mere scavenger.

Kylo Ren did not like to talk about what happened.  There was the official report, which Iton had read, but it was sparse on details.  She wondered what Kylo Ren had planned for the girl, and had thought finding her would be the only reason Iton would be taken from her post with the Hux family.  So it was a surprise when she looked at the information on the chip her master had given her and found nothing about the girl.

Instead, there were rumors and half-finished maps about things that might exist just outside the Outer Rim.  And he expected her to find out if they were true.  It was strange, but she had never failed in a task before.  So she packed up her things and took her own ship to follow a trail that might lead nowhere.


	7. I Watch the City Burn, These Passions Slowly Smoldering

Rey’s new robes were very comfortable – probably more so than what she’d worn on Jakku had been.  Of course, that outfit was functional for the life she’d led.  Now, she wavered back and forth between excitement at wearing new clothes and wishing it was one less decision she had to make.  For the mission to Coruscant, though, she knew that a darker hue would be ideal – they were intending to kidnap someone, after all.  So she chose to wear the grey clothes she’d worn when she went to Ahch-To.  Luke was wearing his Jedi robes, but black ones instead of the tan he’d been wearing when they met.

Finn and the rest of the squad were wearing dark clothes as well, milling around and waiting for her and Luke.  Finn smiled at her and she smiled back, hoping she wouldn’t let everyone down.  She had her lightstaff, Luke had his saber – they should be prepared to face anything a Knight of Ren might throw their way.  Even if Luke had been unusually circumspect regarding who or what the Knights actually were.  They were Dark Side-users, he’d told her, and that was all she needed to know.  Which wasn’t true, of course.  What weapons did they have?  Or would they just fight using the Force?  How many were there?  What kinds of skills did they possess?

It was a relief to get on the Millennium Falcon and find that Chewie would be copiloting!  He greeted her and she gave him a hug, very pleased – she hadn’t seen enough of him lately.  The other ships available in the Resistance were mostly fighters, which would be out of place on Coruscant.  Rey had never been somewhere so populated and was struggling to imagine a planet made up entirely of one city.  How could there be so many people?

Lightspeed brought the eight of them – Finn, Luke, Chewie, herself, and four soldiers – to the old capital soon enough.  One of Finn’s men, Lito, directed her toward a safe landing platform.  There was a well-dressed woman waiting for them, and Rey wondered who she was and how this safe house had been arranged.  The woman smiled tightly at them but didn’t speak, and none of Rey’s party spoke to her.  Instead, they gave her a nod and slipped inside the building, heading for an elevator.

Once on the ground, they exited the building and started walking.  It was night here, and Rey was shocked by how many people were wandering about.  Within the first few minutes, she had seen more people than she thought she’d probably seen in her life.  On Jakku, night was when a person locked themselves in and hoped not to be disturbed.  She had never moved around at night because it was too dangerous.  So this was rather exhilarating and she had to force herself to stay calm to focus on what she was here to do.

Luke and Finn both seemed much more intent than she was, so she stopped craning her neck to look at buildings and copied their determined stances.  None of them were exactly marching, but it was close.  Chewie was trying to make himself less noticeable, which made her smile – he was far too tall to blend in with this crowd.  Most of the people they passed were humanoid and about her size.  She wondered if that was because the city was built to accommodate such persons and anyone who didn’t fit the mold would live elsewhere.  Perhaps there were places to accommodate other sizes of peoples on this planet.

The man called Lito was a native of Coruscant, so he was guiding them.  She had only met him in passing before and didn’t know what had driven him to join the Resistance.  It was apparent that Finn knew him better than she did, and she wondered what else she had missed while training so heavily with Luke.  Automatically, she touched the lightstaff in her belt, reminding herself of its presence.  Regardless of who was protecting the First Order governor, she would be able to handle it.

Lito led them down a narrower path to the right of the one they had been following, and to a small door on the side of a building.  Some kind of card he had opened the door and they all filed inside.  Surprisingly, the space was large but had none of the elegance of the last building, where the woman had lived.  Rey’s experience with large ships made her think that this was some sort of maintenance corridor, not a living space.  Their silent journey continued through the unfinished hallway until they reached an elevator.

Fitting the eight of them into the elevator was a challenge, but they managed and waited tensely to reach the desired floor.

“Byehtho isn’t the only one who is staying here,” Finn began, and Rey was surprised by the authority in his tone – he had changed since the last mission they’d gone on together.  “Be careful and try not to injure anyone if we can help it.  Our mission is to take him alive, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he has explicit orders to avoid that kind of thing.  So keeping him safe is paramount.  His people may turn on him if it looks like we are getting the upper hand.  Rey and Luke, we are depending on you to keep any Dark-Siders from interfering.  Capture would be preferable to killing them, but our target is Byehtho.”

“Yes, sir,” the soldiers stated, while Luke gave a short nod.  Rey looked between them briefly before meeting Finn’s eye and nodding as well.  His expression was worried and she tried to be reassuring.

The doors opened and then things happened very fast.  A group of guards were milling about in the hallway, but they immediately reacted as soon as they spotted the Resistance force.  How they could have known who they were was a mystery, and Rey was shocked by how quickly they started firing.  Chewie, Finn and his men took cover as much as they could and returned fire.  Luke ignited his lightsaber to block the blasts, protecting Rey for the few moments it took her to do the same.

She was aware that there were shouts and orders being given but she couldn’t get a hang on any of it.  Instead, she focused on protecting herself and her friends.  After what seemed an eternity but was probably only a handful of minutes, the guards had successfully retreated away from them down the hallway, disappearing around the corner.

“Is everyone alright?” Finn asked, a little breathlessly.

There were affirmative responses from the rest and Finn touched Rey’s arm to get her attention.  He looked very concerned and she shook herself a little to smile reassuringly.  “I’m fine.”

Luke was holding his hand to his forehead, frowning heavily.  “He’s here,” he muttered, and Rey moved closer to him in concern.

“Who’s here?”  As soon as she asked, she felt a stabbing pain in her head and could barely stay on her feet.  She was aware of Finn saying something, worrying over her, but she was focused on following the feeling to its source.

“We have to keep going, finish the mission,” Luke said a little sharply, clearly still in pain.

Finn didn’t need to be told twice, and immediately gave the appropriate orders.  Then the group of them made their way cautiously after their target.  Rey and Luke brought up the rear, and Rey felt like she was walking in a dream – or a nightmare.  Things were lacking in a tangible quality and she was struggling to hear or understand what everyone else was doing.  Luke took her hand, which made things feel a little better.

It became obvious that they had caught up with Byehtho’s men, and the governor seemed to be with them.  Chewie and Finn and the others were fighting and gaining ground, which made Rey want to get involved.  But she just… couldn’t seem to.  Her lightstaff was limp in her hand and she couldn’t bring herself to raise it.  A small part of her noticed that Luke was in a similar state.

Then she saw him – the Knight of Ren who was doing this.  He was masked, but protected by his people, so perhaps keeping it up left him vulnerable to attack.  With him was their target, she was pretty sure – he at least strongly resembled the man from the surveillance footage, and was not fighting.  They had to get to him, had to take him back to the Resistance.  That’s why they were here.  She closed her eyes to concentrate, then turned her attention on the Knight instead, clenching her jaw with effort.  Then – it worked!  He dropped like a stone, and Byehtho looked down at him in shock.

Head clear at last, Rey started forward with her lightstaff.  Between her weapon and Luke’s the guards were quickly incapacitated and the ensuing silence was almost deafening.  Finn and Lito moved around the Force-users to reach Byehtho and bind him.

“What did you do?” Luke whispered to Rey, distracting her from the proceedings.

“I…  I made him stop,” she murmured uncertainly, looking at the unconscious man lying on the floor.  Finn’s men took him captive, too.

Luke frowned slightly at her but didn’t explain what he was thinking.

Returning to the ship proved a little more of a challenge, now that they had two prisoners in tow.  But they managed to do so without anyone stopping them.  Rey was relieved to return to what she knew – to pilot them home.  After they got underway, Luke came up and sat behind her.  He was silent for a long time and she waited, somewhat on edge, for him to speak.

“Rey, how did you learn that?”

“Learn what?”

He pressed his lips together, thinking.  “You got in his head and overwhelmed him with what he was doing to us.”

Shrugging, she glanced back at him.  “It was the only thing I could think to do,” she murmured defensively.

“It’s alright, Rey.  I just…  I didn’t think Byehtho would be such a high-value target.”

“What do you mean?”

He looked over his shoulder toward the rest of the ship – toward where the Knight and their prisoner were being kept.  “Lyek Ren is one of the more powerful Knights of Ren.  I didn’t think…  He has brought down significantly larger threats than an old Jedi and his apprentice,” he explained somewhat self-effacingly.  “I was worried when I saw that it was him we would have to defeat.”

The implied praise made Rey flush a little.  “Well, we did it.”

“Yes.  Without any significant injury, too.  Good work, Rey.”

“Thank you, Luke.”


	8. Chapter 8

 “What’s wrong, Luke?” Leia asked her brother.  He was sitting near the window, looking out at the stars.  It had been a long day and she was surprised to find him still awake.

Pulling himself from his thoughts, he looked up at her, expression clearly troubled.  “Leia…  I’m doing you no good here.”

She sat down next to him and laid a hand on his shoulder.  “You’re doing plenty,” she told him firmly.

His gaze turned from her to focus on the floor.  “She doesn’t need me.”

“Who?  Rey?  Of course she does.  She’s been getting stronger and more in control of her abilities under your guidance.”

He pressed his lips together for a moment.  “We saw one of them today.  She defeated him – easily.  He’s been training for longer than she’s been alive, and it took her only one attempt to incapacitate him.  It’s …  I couldn’t have done it.  No one has that much power.”

“What are you saying?”

Finally, he looked up at his sister.  “I think…  I think there’s more going on with her than she’s been willing to share.”

 

Kylo Ren was not in the castle.  When the message came that Beid Byehtho had been taken, it was something of a relief to General Hux that he didn’t have to deliver it right away.  Well, not to his leader, at any rate.  Instead, he contacted his father.

“What?!  That fool…  His cult following couldn’t even protect one of us?”

“It looks that way, Father.  His men reported that they took both Byehtho and the Knight.  They were… not clear on how the Force-users interacted,” the younger Hux said delicately.

His father snorted derisively.  “Perhaps the Jedi Killer needs to live up to his name,” he growled.

“Perhaps.”

“Call a council meeting.  We must discuss how to get Byehtho back before he tells them something he shouldn’t.”

“Yes, Father.”

The holo disappeared just as one of Hux’s lieutenants came into the room.  “Sir,” the man said, coming to a stop a respectful distance away.

“Yes?”

“Our leader’s ship has returned.”

“Thank you.  Dismissed.”  Taking a deep breath, Hux considered how to approach the situation.

 

Sinking into the chair that served as a throne, Kylo Ren raised an eyebrow at General Hux, who seemed uncomfortable.  “What is it?” he asked levelly.

“It seems, sir, that Beid Byehtho has been captured.”  To Hux’s surprise, this garnered no reaction.  “They’ve taken Lyek Ren as well.”

With a slight frown, Kylo Ren leaned forward to get a better look at the General.  “What’s being done to retrieve them?”

“We have called the Council to discuss it.”

The expression on his face gave away how much he thought of that idea, and he sat back against the throne again, thoughtful.  “Was Skywalker there?”

“It seems so, sir.”

“Has it been determined how the Resistance came to know that one of ours was in Coruscant?”

Hux clenched his jaw at the implication.  “No, sir.”

“Find out,” he ordered and raised an eyebrow expectantly.

“Yes, sir,” Hux replied and took his leave.

 

Iton Ren’s mission was proving more successful than she had expected.  Finding information from the days before the Empire was a challenge, but there were enough breadcrumbs for her to be optimistic.  She wouldn’t report in yet, not until she had something definite.  But her movements through the Core were paying off, and she headed out of the neutral zone and into Resistance space.

 

The generals were divisive and Kylo Ren preferred not to involve them.  However, he couldn’t be everywhere, and they had proven themselves in the previous war.  So he gave them the freedom they wanted to pursue some of their own interests – at least in terms of which neutral planets to take over.  Most of them knew better than to resist, and the increase in resources was greatly appreciated.  Sometimes their enemy showed up to defend systems with the most strategic importance, and General Hux was living up to his rank – they usually won.  Not always, but they were gaining more ground every day.

If the Resistance had taken one of the governors from the Imperial Remnant captive, that would have significant ramifications galaxy-wide.  Right now, the First Order was dark and terrifying, and those systems who had no aid from what remained of the Republic were quick to surrender to the perceived unstoppable force of the Old Empire.  But one of the most powerful persons involved in the First Order had just been taken, and that lost them some credibility.

He could easily imagine how the other generals would react – particularly panicked as they feared for their own safety.  They would squabble and focus on their self-interest more than the good of the order, and it would take a heavy hand to bring them back to task.  Snoke could have done it with a few harsh words.  Kylo Ren didn’t have his finesse, but he had a plan.

 

Brendol Hux had been valuable part of the Empire.  He had been born to nothing and had enlisted, lacking anything else to do on his home world.  Then he’d swiftly moved up through the ranks because of his natural skills at leadership.  His ideas on the Stormtrooper program were very influential and he’d been one of the most well-regarded generals in the government.  And then the Rebellion came.  Strategy was left to other men and he had watched, almost powerlessly, as those terrorists were successful again and again.

When the Empire fell, admitting defeat at last, he had fled with the others to the edge of the galaxy.  The Imperial Remnant, as they were later called, fought over the fertile planets in the area and he took the one closest to the Core.  Because, while the rest were content to find somewhere to hide, he wanted more.  He wanted revenge on those who took his life away from him.  And he wanted the Empire to rise again.

Snoke came, and he had been the first to follow the man.  It had been good then – his son was following in his footsteps and he fully expected the boy to prove himself a capable leader for when Snoke was no longer with them.  The Force-users weren’t interfering then, and Snoke seemed to be focused on retaking the galaxy via more practical means.

The first Brendol Hux had heard of Kylo Ren had been from his son, telling him that Snoke had taken another apprentice.  He’d thought little of it – Snoke had other agents who were actively seeking out any Light-side users and destroying them.  One more would hardly make a difference.  But his son’s reports soon made it clear that Snoke thought very highly of his newest acquisition and expected him to be of significant use in achieving their goals.

Whatever that portended, neither Hux knew.  But what they did know was that Kylo Ren was volatile and extremely powerful.  It was a relief that he was separated from his Knights and had to integrate himself into the First Order’s structure.  While working with him was less than pleasant, it was better than what he might have been doing otherwise – what power he might have been gaining that could undo all their plans.

Well, Snoke had gotten sloppy somehow and been assassinated by the tool he’d been hoping to use.  Now Kylo Ren ruled them with his own agenda, and none of the old guard trusted him.  They were willing to put up with him for now, largely because of the younger Hux.  Brendol assured them that his son was close to their leader and would make an excellent replacement for when the time came to rid themselves of this religious fanatic and his ilk.  For now, they would endure as he proved useful.

Adhering to the old religion was what caused the Empire’s downfall, and none of the generals had been comfortable with Snoke’s insistence on it.  Kylo Ren was even less trustworthy in that regard.  But it made for a powerful statement to the galaxy – to have the most powerful Dark Side-users on their side.  The threat of the Last Jedi returning was counteracted by having Jedi Killer as their leader.  So the governors had been willing to let the boy rule.  But now… everything had changed.

 

“I just don’t understand how this could have happened,” Orindi Ateidme began.

There were nods around the table, and young Hux shifted his weight.  The governors were all here but Kylo Ren was not.  He was concerned about what they might let slip in his absence that he would know about and seek retribution for later.  His father had been unimpressed by Force-users and he didn’t know very much about how they worked.  But he did know that Kylo Ren could read his mind and that terrified him.

“What’s the point in having to keep these spies in our houses if they can’t protect us from the Resistance?” Aleted Alyan put in, clearly afraid.

“Calm down,” the elder Hux boomed, and the other generals looked at him with varying degrees of annoyance and relief.  “Beid was always a fool – just happened to be in the right place at the right time.  Now he’s been taken, but what is that to us?  I am not planning on leaving my stronghold until the war is won – we can direct it well enough from afar.”

“You are saying our concern is unfounded?” Mirzam Hispuli questioned archly.

Hux smiled slightly.  “No.  I’m saying it’s overblown.  If Beid Byehtho has gotten himself lost, I say we divide up his assets and continue as normal.”

A few shocked looks responded to that sentiment, and Orindi leaned forward to meet his eye.  “You think we were worried about his people continuing to work for us?”

“It’s the only worry I would consider valuable.”

She snorted, looking at those around her with a raised eyebrow.  “Our leader sent him to the Capital.  And now he is a prisoner of the Resistance.  Byehtho made Kylo Ren lose face and now he’s gone.  What makes you think any of us are any safer?  You think because your son is his second-in-command that he will leave you to your holdings if you speak against him, Brendol?”

He glanced at his son, a flicker of concern crossing his face, before returning Orindi’s gaze.  “I have never spoken against our leader,” he stated.

Snorting again, Orindi rearranged her skirts with a grim smile.  “You should take more care, my old friend.  You have had little experience with Force-users and your ignorance will be your downfall.”

Before Brendol could respond to this insult, the doors to the room opened and Kylo Ren stalked in during the ensuing silence.  He placed himself at the head of the table, looking around at their faces with an unreadable expression.  Then he turned toward young General Hux.  “You started without me?” he inquired with a misleading politeness that made even the most hardened general want to look away.

“Sir, we sent word as soon as they began to arrive,” Hux responded quickly.

Kylo Ren waved his hand dismissively and turned his attention to the rest of the table.  “Who defeated the Empire?”

There was an uncomfortable pause before Orindi offered a response.  “The Rebellion.”

Something like a smile crossed Kylo Ren’s face.  “And who in that Rebellion did the most damage?”

Now the generals were willing to offer names – usually those who had caused their personal defeats.

Waving a hand again, Kylo Ren stood, looking down at all of them.  “The Emperor was assassinated because of Luke Skywalker.  The Death Star was destroyed and millions of lives were lost at his hand.  Now he has returned to fight again.  Do you really think any of our little squabbles over territory will matter?”

Some protests met this analysis, but they fell silent when he continued.

“Lyek Ren is on the Resistance base with Skywalker and his apprentice, our greatest threats.  I think we need to stop worrying about your personal safety and go get him.”


	9. Is Your World Just a Broken Promise?

Leia Organa had been a part of warfare since she was hardly more than a child.  Seeing Rey and Finn do what she had been doing at their age was painful – how could this be allowed?  She understood what the Republic had thought of her insistence that the Imperial Remnant was not going to stop.  They had all inherited this war from their parents’ actions and had no desire to see their own children be part of another.  Which obviously turned out great for everyone.

In any case, she knew that interrogation was an unavoidable way to gain intelligence on what the other side was doing.  Getting her hands dirty was usually not necessary, but she didn’t stop her agents just because it made her a little queasy – she’d been interrogated herself more than once.  So when her brother returned with two high-value prisoners, she steeled herself to be present during the questioning of both of them.

Certainly someone else could do it and report to her, but things were too easy to lose in translation.  An old Imperial and a Knight of Ren would be difficult to break, and anything they said might prove a valuable hint in ending this war.  Her experience could help unravel these hints and she couldn’t afford to miss anything.

She had met Beid Byehtho once, a long time ago.  It shouldn’t have been a shock to see how old he’d become, and how tired.  But perhaps it was only shocking to see the once greatly driven man reduced to a prisoner – he’d clearly abandoned hope.  He was ushered into the chamber where she waited and he barely made eye contact.  If they’d hurt him already, she couldn’t see any evidence.

“General,” she said politely.

“Princess,” he responded, a faint echo of the cutting way he’d once addressed her in their youth.

“You are under my protection here.  If you cooperate, nothing unpleasant will happen to you,” she began.

He snorted, and the guards between them tensed.  “You cannot protect me from my leader’s displeasure,” he told her sardonically.

Her eyes narrowed slightly.  “Are you not a valuable member of the First Order?  I was hoping to get a good bargain for your safe return.”

“I don’t think he much cares what happens to me.  You might get a good price for his Knight, though,” he offered.

A frown crossed her face as she considered his response.  Snoke did value his Knights but surely not more highly than his generals?  His operations in the past had been more tactical than anything else.  The Knights had been used to hunt down Jedi, not run the war.  Even if it wasn’t technically a war then.

“Alright.  Then give me a reason to keep you alive.”

He smiled then.  “Get rid of these guards and we can talk.”

The guards in question both stood up a little straighter and frowned down at the audacity of the general.  But Leia was used to these kinds of tactics – and certainly prepared to defend herself.  Pulling out her blaster, if only to appease her concerned men, she gave them a nod.  “Come back in five minutes.”

They weren’t happy about it, but they left.  She turned to look at Byehtho thoughtfully.  “Make this worth my time.”

“Snoke is dead,” he said without preamble.  The news was considerably surprising and she was beginning to contemplate what that might mean for the First Order and for the galaxy as a whole when he continued.  “Kylo Ren killed him and took his place.”

That piece of information left her momentarily speechless and her thought process came to a halt.

If Byehtho understood the strength of her reaction, he did not comment on it.  In fact, he was not looking at her at all, staring off into the middle distance and almost wistful.  “We shouldn’t have allowed these … Force-users to become so powerful.  I expect he wants me dead or I wouldn’t have ended up here.  I’ll tell you everything I know in exchange for protection.”

She raised an eyebrow.  “That’s it?  Protection?”

“Oh, Princess, I expect to be treated both during this war and after it in a way that befits my rank.”

Her eyes narrowed at his arrogance.  “What makes you think I can protect you?”

His smile was unkind as he looked up at her.  “Because I think we both know how safe you really are if Kylo Ren is in charge.”

 

Rey was sitting in her quarters, staring out the window, lost in thought.  It took her several moments to notice that Luke was standing in the doorway, waiting patiently.  When she did notice, he smiled somewhat painfully.

“What is it?” she asked.  It was early yet and she hadn’t thought to start the day’s training with him until later, recovering as they were from the latest adventure.  But perhaps he just wanted to talk about that.

“My sister is questioning the governor.  She was very pleased with our success,” he added, an afterthought, and she smiled in response to the praise.  “I thought we might interrogate the Knight.”

Her brow furrowed in distress.  “I… interrogate?”  Her tone betrayed her nervousness at the prospect.

“Not like…  Not like how _they_ interrogate.  We’re just going to ask him some questions.  He might not answer any of them.  But he’s very powerful and I’d appreciate not being the only one there to contain him.”

She did not feel particularly reassured, but she gave her mentor a nod nonetheless.  “What should I do?” she asked as she got to her feet.

Putting a hand on her shoulder, he smiled at her.  “Just be ready to stop him if he tries anything.  I’ll handle the rest.”

They walked down to the makeshift holding cell the Resistance was using.  It was far from the one where the governor they’d captured was kept, in hopes of preventing the two from working out an escape plan together.  Of course, if Lyek Ren had similar abilities to his master, it was unlikely that physical distance would do much to deter him, Rey thought darkly.

The Knight’s helmet and weaponry had been removed and Rey was surprised to see that he was quite a bit older than herself – though younger than Luke.  He didn’t look up at them when they entered the cell, just continued to stare straight ahead with unsettling intensity.  It reminded her of seeing Kylo Ren unmasked for the first time – he looked much more like an average human than the creature she had expected, but his eyes gave him away.

“The Last Jedi.  What an honor,” Lyek said unexpectedly, otherwise motionless.

Luke glanced at Rey then at the Knight.  “Why were you with Byehtho in the Capitol?”

There wasn’t an immediate response and Rey felt her skin beginning to crawl.

“I’m very loyal,” Lyek stated at last, tonelessly.

“I’m sure you are.  But I’m sure your master would prefer your safe return,” Luke began coaxingly.

Lyek looked up then, sharply, and smiled.  “Who is my master, Luke?  Who?”

The unhinged quality of the question gave Luke pause.  “We can protect you,” he continued gently after a moment.

Rey was surprised by the reaction in the Knight, who had seemed so different before, when she’d been in his head, that she wondered what might have set him off.  Was it Luke’s presence?  But, no, he’d been there on Coruscant.  Perhaps it was just the fact that he had been captured.  It would not have surprised her to learn that the Knight preferred death to this.

“You know, I’ve studied the Force for a long time.  But I’ve never seen one as powerful as him.  And that’s why I followed him – saving my own skin as usual.  My brothers and sisters would be so disappointed if they knew.  Do you know what they’ll do, Luke?  What they’ll do to me for disappointing them?”

Luke stepped forward to look Lyek in the eye.  “No one is going to do anything to you.  We aren’t going to hurt you, and we aren’t going to let any of our enemies reach you.  Not if you talk to us about what he’s planning.”

Lyek’s face lit up and he laughed – a quick, splintered sound like the breaking wood.  “He?  He’s not one for plans.”

Brow furrowing, Luke cocked his head.  “Snoke’s done nothing but make plans for years.”

That set Lyek to laughing again for a few moments, and Luke and Rey exchanged anxious glances.  “Snoke is dead,” he almost sang, still laughing.

“Then Byehtho was running?  Going to regain his assets, maybe?” Luke offered, voice still calm and reassuring.

“Can’t run from him.  He wouldn’t like it.”

“Who?”

“My master,” Lyek explained with a sudden and unsettling patience.  “Kylo Ren.”

Luke was silent, momentarily thrown by the idea.  His reaction made Lyek smile again.

“They don’t like him.  None of the old guard.  But they think they can use him for a while – they think they can use _us_ to get what they want.  But I won’t let them, those ancient creatures who think we are fanatics when _they_ are doing whatever it takes to bring back the Sith regime.  We don’t want that.  My master doesn’t want that.  And he doesn’t see what they’re doing.  So I have to help, don’t I?”

His abrupt silence was as worrying as his talking had been and he looked between the two of them almost beseechingly for a moment.

“We would be happy to help you keep the old Imperials from taking over,” Luke attempted, a little hesitantly.  It wasn’t clear at all if that was what the Knight wanted.

Lyek waved a hand dismissively.  “My old master, the Last Jedi, would never help my new one, the Jedi Killer.  Not after what he did,” he said harshly.

Rey felt a chill pass over her – who were the Knights of Ren?  Why wouldn’t Luke talk about them more?  Were they all his former students?  That would explain his unwillingness, as well as Kylo Ren’s command of them.  Before she could consider further, Lyek Ren was talking again.

“This was bad, very bad, for my master.  To have lost one of the generals – the others won’t be pleased at all.  I’ll have to do something big to win them back to his side.”

“What will you do?” Luke asked warily.

Lyek turned and looked at Rey in a way that made her want to run.  “He’s the most powerful I’ve met – until now.  That little one clinging to your coattails, Master.  She’ll make up for any mistakes we’ve made.”

“You won’t take me,” she snarled, reaching for her lightstaff.

“I won’t have to,” Lyek replied cryptically, and suddenly everything went black.


	10. Is Your Love Just a Drop of Rain?

The first thing Rey noticed was the sound of feet – someone was running.  Then she was being picked up and every muscle in her body tightened, remembering an old fear.  But soon she was set down again and could hear voices buzzing around her.  They were meaningless for a while as her thoughts were swirling about like a sandstorm and couldn’t seem to settle.

Finally, the overwhelming darkness that blanketed her was lifted and she could see that she was still in the Resistance base, and Finn was hovering over her.

“Finn!” she cried, both happy to see him and afraid of what might have happened.

“Rey!” he replied, taking her hand and looking at her intently.  “We thought…  We weren’t sure…”  He trailed off, watching her.

Things were coming back and she glanced around sharply.  “Luke?” she asked hesitantly.

Finn’s face darkened.  “He’s gone.  That Knight took him and escaped somehow.  No one remembers seeing anything until we found you.”

She sat up abruptly and began to get to her feet before Finn gently pushed her back.  “We have to go get him!” she protested.

“You’ll be no use until you’ve recovered from whatever he did to you,” Finn admonished, and she couldn’t tell if he was being her commander or just a concerned friend.  But then he smiled self-effacingly and she knew it was the latter.

“Finn, this is all my fault.  I should have –”

“It’s not, Rey.  You did what you could.  Luke should have taken better precautions after what happened on Coruscant.”

She nodded slowly, unconvinced but unwilling to press the point.  “Where’s Leia?” she whispered, afraid to face the General after the loss of her brother.  Again.

Finn pursed his lips, clearly considering whether or not to answer.  “She was interrogating Byehtho last I knew.  I think she’s still there.”

That made Rey spring to her feet despite his protests and she ran to see for herself.  The two guards were standing outside, shifting their weight uncomfortably, which meant Leia was in there alone.  She immediately pounded on the door, though the guards tried to stop her.  Finn had caught up to her by then and was trying to defuse the situation when the door opened.

“Rey?  Finn?  What’s the matter?” Leia asked, frowning in concern.

“They’re gone!” Rey told her and felt tears welling up.

“Lyek Ren did something to knock us out and took Luke,” Finn said more helpfully.

Leia’s expression fell for a moment before returning to its normal mode.  “I’m sure…  I’m sure we can find him,” she began.  Glancing behind her, she pulled the door shut and turned to address Rey.  “Can you stop him?”

“I…  I could on Coruscant.  I wasn’t expecting – I wasn’t prepared for anything here.  I’m sorry!” she answered wretchedly.  Leia pulled her close to calm her.

“Rey, you did a good thing on Coruscant – we got our prisoners and suffered no casualties.  That is a big deal, my dear.  Now we need to get Luke back before the First Order can do whatever they’re planning to do with him.  And we’re going to need you to help us again.  Can you do that, Rey?”  Leia moved back slightly to look her in the eye.

Nodded resolutely, she took a deep, shuddering breath, and stepped away.  “Can we track them?”

Leia looked at Finn, who shrugged.  “We are searching out which ship they took, so it’s possible.  But it’s unlikely that we’ll catch up to them – we don’t know where they’re going,” he answered unhappily, watching Rey.

“We’ll do what we can.  Finn, take Rey to the conference room and have all intel sent there.  I’ll be along shortly,” Leia ordered.

“What are you going to do?” Rey asked.

With a grim expression, the general turned back toward the door.  “See what Byehtho knows.”

 

Iton Ren had been Force-sensitive all of her life.  As such, she had been unusually lucky in her youth.  Now, she knew how to manipulate the odds to be in her favor.  Still, it was a surprise to find that the cold leads she followed did not bring her to a dead end.  What they led to was something that many had searched for but no one had found.  At least, not in a very long time.  More would be coming, and she settled in to wait.

 

Beid Byehtho knew something had changed – his time had not been up when General Organa was called out of the room.  He considered the possibilities while he waited for her to return.  The First Order did not have the strength to take this base, even assuming they could find it.  It was possible that they might attack anyway and attempt a rescue, but his popularity wouldn’t add up to that kind of adventure.  They would be afraid and likely acting stupid as a result – the other generals, anyway.  Kylo Ren was impulsive, but the capture of one of his governors would not spur him into a rash action.  Assuming he hadn’t arranged for this to happen in the first place.

So whatever required General Organa’s immediate attention was likely related to the Knight they’d foolishly brought in with him.  He didn’t know much about the man – no one knew much of anything about the Knights before Snoke brought them in and used them as agents.  He only knew more about the Jedi Killer than the rest because he’d known Leia Organa better than the rest.  The order of religious fanatics was unpredictable and he had never been fond of that aspect of Snoke’s governance.  Now one of them was leading them and he knew he wasn’t the only one reconsidering this whole venture.  Not that backing out now was an option, of course.

“Pardon the interruption, Beid,” General Organa said politely as she came back into the room, flanked by guards.

“Of course,” he replied amiably.

“Why does the First Order want the Jedi gone?” she asked abruptly.

He cocked his head at her.  “I imagine the Force-users prefer to limit their competition.  The rest of the Order only cares for the political ramifications of where the Last Jedi throws his influence.  Have you misplaced him?”

Her eyes narrowed but she smiled.  “You think I would lose my own brother?  You underestimate me, sir.  Now, if you will tell me and these fine gentlemen everything you know about the First Order, I will see to it that you are made comfortable for the rest of this war.”

Something like a smile crossed his face in response, and he nodded.

 

Rey’s hands were clenched to keep from fidgeting as she sat in the conference room.  People came and went, bringing their reports to Finn.  He perused them carefully and often gave a response to the waiting messenger.  It took a while before they heard anything about Luke, and her frantic energy had faded by then.

“Sir, we’ve picked up the ship on our scanners and the trajectory is steady,” a blond woman with buns in her hair stated.

Rey sat up and looked intently at the holo map as the ship appeared on it, first tiny, then they zoomed in on it.  Finn pursed his lips as they watched its slow progress through empty space.  “Bring the General,” he told the woman, who nodded decisively and left.

“I have to go get him,” Rey said quietly when they were alone.

Finn looked after at her, a pained expression on his face.  “We need you here, Rey,” he told her gently.

Her eyes narrowed.  “He is my master.  He’s been taken by a Force-user and I’m the only one here who can do something about it,” she said flatly.

“Rey…”  He trailed off, searching her face.  “Let’s see what Leia says,” he murmured at last, looking away.

Silence stretched between them as they both watched the ship move, trying to determine where it would stop.  Eventually, there was a knock at the door and they turned to see Poe leaning against the frame.

“Hey, I just heard.  Anything I can do?” he asked, concerned.

“Convince Rey that she doesn’t need to go tearing off after them,” Finn suggested in a tone that made it hard to tell if he was teasing or not.

Poe smiled at her as he stepped into the room, then glanced toward the map.  “If she wants to go, I see no reason to stop her.  She’s a great help in a fight,” he offered and she grinned at him while Finn scowled.

“If the First Order is trying to get rid of all the Force-users who aren’t allied with them, I’d hate to send the only one we have left into their waiting arms.”

That sobered both of them and Finn looked grimly pleased by the effect.  Rey rallied quickly, however.  “But how can we hope to rescue him from their Force-users without someone who can counter that kind of attack?”

“I don’t know, Rey.  But Leia will.  She’s certain to have had similar problems during the Rebellion,” he stated hopefully.

Poe patted his shoulder as he sat down next to Rey and offered her a smile.  “We’ll get him back.  I’m sure the General will think of something.  And maybe we can take down a few of them while we’re at it.”

Smiling tentatively back, Rey nodded.  “How was your last mission, General?” she asked, teasing his new title.

Wrinkling his nose at her while Finn laughed, Poe shook his head slightly.  “Just fine.  We’ve been having some good luck lately, driving them back.  I think they’re distracted.”

“That would be good news,” Finn muttered under his breath as he looked over some of the other reports he’d been given.

“I came as soon as I could,” Leia said as she entered the room, smiling reassuringly at Poe when he started to get up to leave.  “We will have a lot to talk about later,” she added, looking at Finn.  “But let’s focus on Luke for now.  What have you found?”

Finn stood up to gesture to the map.  “This is the ship Lyek Ren stole, as far as we can tell.”

“As far as you can tell?” she asked politely.

Clenching his jaw, Finn nodded.  “He influenced a lot of our pilots to leave at the same time, and go off in different directions to distract us.  But most of them have been recovered unharmed.  We are working on tracking down the rest, but this one has gotten the greatest distance from us, so is likely the ship he took.”

“I see.”

“We don’t know for sure, General.  I’m sorry.  But it’s been on this flightpath for the last – ” he paused to check, “ – half an hour.  If it continues, they will be entering the Unknown Regions within the hour.”

Leia stood up to study the map and frowned slightly.  “What’s outside the galaxy in that direction?”

“I think it’s safe to say it is somewhere we haven’t mapped.”

“Hmm.”

“Leia, please let me go after him,” Rey begged in the ensuing silence.  The General turned to look at her, a gentle expression on her face.  Forestalling the explanation Rey knew was coming, she gestured toward the map.  “They’re just passing Jakku.  I can be there in a moment on the Falcon, and stop them before they leave the galaxy.  I don’t know what they are headed, but I heard plenty of stories about what is just beyond the galaxy’s edge.  And I don’t think things will end well if they reach their destination.”

Leia looked at the three of them carefully while she digested this information.  “Let’s see what our options are,” she said slowly, and sat down so they could discuss all that they knew.


	11. Will We All Just Burn Like Fire?

The First Order was gaining ground, but their progress was by no means a clean sweep.  They surrendered their hold on systems with less strategic importance as necessary, though it gave the Resistance a false sense of accomplishment.  Kylo Ren did not see this as a major problem except for the loss of potential allies that might result from this perception.  Hubris had brought down empires before – it could be argued to be the reason the New Republic was no more.  They had discounted any real threats and now were destroyed.

General Hux and the rest of the Imperial Remnant were as susceptible to hubris as the New Republic, if not more so, Kylo Ren thought.  Snoke had been preparing them to retake the galaxy for decades and many of them couldn’t imagine the possibility of losing.  Had they not seen their own treatment of the New Republic?  The weapon was gone and their overwhelming superiority was no more.  As the powerful factions in the galaxy chose alliances, both sides of the line were becoming evenly matched in resources and manpower.

If they were to win this war, something had to change.  A power vacuum had been opened and the First Order needed to fill it.  The anarchy that ensued after the loss of the New Republic could be used to strengthen their insistence on the need to return to order, but the fact that _they_ were the reason for its destruction in the first place was not a vote in their favor.  It was one of the reasons he’d been against the weapon being used in the first place.  While it made for a dramatic reveal to the galaxy, it would have been better if they had continued destabilizing the New Republic and showing it for the useless bureaucracy that it was.  Then systems would have flocked to a stronger government.

Luke Skywalker was not supposed to return.  His exile had been thorough and no one had expected the legend to materialize and choose a side.  There were many peoples who followed the Force religiously, and knowing a Jedi was with the Resistance would cause them to throw in with that side no matter how powerful the First Order was.  They would not follow the Jedi Killer and his Dark Side compatriots if they had the option to follow the Last Jedi.

So removing that option was a high priority.  Beid Byehtho’s resolve was wavering.  He made excellent bait for the Resistance to bite off more than they could chew.  The swiftness of the capture had been a surprise – Skywalker’s apprentice was continuing to be stronger than anticipated – but had worked according to his plan.  Lyek Ren was taken to the base itself and made his escape with his prize.

Iton Ren may have been a better choice, but she would also have presented Rey with more of a challenge and Kylo Ren couldn’t be as certain of her failure as he could of Lyek’s.  And Lyek’s reaction to it was much more predictable as well.  In any case, Iton was the only one he could trust with her mission passed the Outer Rim, and this had worked out as hoped.

The generals’ reaction was strong and they were out for blood.  But he was getting used to handling them.  When he suggested that capturing Skywalker was the plan, they had actually fallen silent – only for a moment, but longer than he could remember them being in a long time.  They did not like him.  He knew they were putting up with him and also knew that his tenure in this position was unlikely to continue when the war was over.  Regardless of who won.

“Sir,” a lieutenant said tentatively, standing in the doorway of the hall.

Kylo Ren looked up and gave a nod for the woman to come forward.  “Yes?”

“A message for you, sir.  In the viewing room.”

Turning from the window he had been looking out, he stalked by the lieutenant, who held very still until he was gone.  The viewing room was just down the corridor and he was unsurprised to find the usually busy place empty in anticipation of him.  Settling himself in a chair there, he turned on the holo and was pleased to see Iton Ren, hard to make out though she was given her distance from here.

“I have completed my mission, Master.”

“Good.  What did you find?”

She paused, pulling her cloak tighter around herself.  “What we expected, sir.  I cannot proceed on my own.”

Nodding, he stared into the middle distance thoughtfully.  Then he shook his head slightly to clear it and focused on his Knight again.  “You are well-versed in these matters, Iton.  Who could succeed here?”

“Perhaps if our whole strength were committed to it, Master.”

“Of course.  Prepare for our arrival.”

“Yes, Master.”

Turning off the device, he pressed his lips together for a moment before adjusting the controls to send out a simple signal.  Then he settled in with his eyes closed.

 

Luke Skywalker was waiting.  The ship on which he and Lyek Ren were traveling was small and he had been left in the leisure room in the back.  There was little else on the ship besides cargo storage and the cockpit.  He supposed he should consider himself lucky not to have been stuffed into one of the cargo bays instead.  At least he was seated somewhat comfortably, despite being bound.  His lightsaber was not on his belt, but he was pretty sure it was on the ship.  So escape was possible.

However, he wasn’t certain that it was the best approach to the situation.  Lyek Ren was not an impulsive man – he wouldn’t have kidnapped Luke if he didn’t have some kind of plan that required his presence.  Though the First Order might see him as no more than a powerful chess piece, the Knights of Ren would have more respect for his capabilities.  And Lyek…  Well, he’d always been a good student.  And if Kylo Ren was now leading the First Order…  It was likely that they were intent on using him for some Force-related reason.  And, if he were to escape, wouldn’t they just go after the only other Force-user that wasn’t already on their side?

So, to protect Rey, he would wait.

 

Kylo Ren wasn’t asleep, not exactly, but the sound of the message coming in still startled him.  Shaking his head with a slight smile, he cleared his thoughts and turned on the holo.

“Lyek Ren.  I’ve been waiting.”

“Forgive me, Master.  I had to be sure of my escape,” the Knight replied, bowing his head.

“You were successful, then?”

“Yes, Master.  Skywalker is aboard this ship.”

With a nod, Kylo Ren studied the other man for a moment.  “You underestimated her.”

Lyek Ren was wearing his mask but seemed chagrined by the statement.  “She is very powerful, sir.”

“She is.  You left her with them.  And took Skywalker.”

“Yes, sir.  I did not think I could contain her if I took her.  If you want her, sir, I am certain Skywalker would make excellent bait,” he offered.

Kylo Ren smiled coldly.  “Are you underestimating her again?”

The Knight paused for a moment, considering.  “I am sure, if the Seven could be brought together, that we would be able to defeat her.  Or turn her.”

“And what would you prefer, Lyek Ren?”

“She would be a powerful ally, but I do not know that we could keep her in check.  She has not taken our vows and might fall if unprepared.”

“I see.  And what of Skywalker?”

Lyek Ren tensed slightly.  “I do not think he will be turned.  He has been tempted many times to no effect.”

“True.  Where are you taking him, Lyek?”

“To you, sir,” the Knight answered, sounding surprised.

Accessing the controls again, Kylo Ren didn’t answer right away, and Lyek waited patiently for him to finish.  “Your sister has completed her mission successfully,” he said at last.

“That is good news, sir.”

“She is in the Unknown Regions, not far from you.  I think…  I think she would appreciate seeing the Last Jedi again, don’t you?”

“Yes, sir.”  Lyek found that coordinates had been sent to him and began plotting a new course.

“Lyek.”

Looking up again, the Knight stopped what he was doing and waited for orders.

“Do not act rashly.  I will bring the others.”

“Yes, Master.”

The holo flickered out and Kylo Ren surged to his feet.  Returning to the hall where he chose to conduct business, he ordered the first random officer he saw to bring Hux to him, and settled onto his throne.  Skywalker, on his own, wouldn’t be able to interfere with their plans, he was pretty sure.  And soon they’d be able to bring an end to all of this.  Everything was working out and it was an effort not to fidget in anticipation.

“You sent for me, sir?” General Hux said in that overly polite way of his that normally set Kylo Ren on edge.

“Mobilize the troops.”

Startled, Hux blinked and then looked hard at him.  “How many, sir?”

“All of them.”

“Sir, I don’t think –”

“I didn’t ask you to,” Kylo Ren said sharply and Hux bowed his head for a moment.

“Of course, sir; if you will permit me,” he paused, waiting for Kylo Ren’s impatient nod.  “We don’t have the manpower to take down the entire Resistance at this point, or a certain location on them, so perhaps you would be so good as to inform me what has inspired you to action.  Sir.”

The scar on his face twisted as he smiled at the general.  “We have Skywalker.”

Hux raised an eyebrow in carefully conveyed surprised.  “That won’t make us unstoppable, sir, nor them overly vulnerable.”

“Tactically, it is not a great loss.  You’re right about that, General.  But there is more at my disposal than men and blasters,” Kylo Ren explained, still smiling.

Unsettled, Hux considered what his father would say.  “The governors,” he began before being cut off once more.

“Are not as powerful as they think they are.  Will you side with them or with me?” Kylo Ren asked, the smile disappearing as though it had never existed, and looked at Hux in that intense way of his.

Wincing slightly, Hux stood at attention.  “You are our Leader, sir.”

“Good.  Now go.  We will meet them on Cerea.”

“Yes, sir.”


	12. Are You Still There?

Luke Skywalker had been gone for a few hours and they were no closer to determining how to rescue him.  Rey was actively pacing while Finn and General Organa were deliberating.  As he was mostly there for support, Poe kept offering her reassuring looks.  They were helpful but not as helpful as someone making a decision would be.  Rey was unused to this kind of analysis and was railing against the inaction.  She understood the weight of what they might do, but it was Luke!  He was taken and they had to go get him.

Poe motioned to her and she walked over to where he was sitting.  “Why don’t you go have a snack or something to settle your nerves?  I’ll run and get you as soon as we’ve made some kind of progress,” he promised.

Considering for a moment, she looked over at Finn and Leia, brow furrowing.  More ships had been recovered so the likelihood of the one they’d been following being the correct one was increasing.  But their troops were spread thin and they were attempting to assemble a force skilled enough to effectively rescue the Last Jedi.  People were committed elsewhere and would have to regroup.

“That’s a good idea,” she agreed after a pause.  Then she faced Poe again.  “I’m sure his fate is in good hands.”  He frowned slightly in confusion, but she strode out of the room before he could comment.  Her fists were clenched at her sides as she hurried through the corridors, waiting until she was well out of earshot before breaking into a run.

Finally, she was in the hangar.  Ships were returning – many from the influence of Lyek Ren – and it was a busy place.  Things would be missed easily.  Walking at a less noticeable pace, she moved amongst the crowd until she found a ship that had a hyperdrive.  These were few and far between, and many were occupied.  But she found one at last and climbed aboard, pausing to check that she still had her lightstaff.  She would probably need it this time.

Programming in the appropriate sequence, she left the planet and was soon speeding through hyperspace, on her way to an uncharted planet.

 

Finn looked up and was surprised to find Rey gone.  Turning to Poe with a puzzled expression, he opened his mouth to speak before Poe spoke first.

“She’s just taking a break,” he explained reassuringly.

“Good for her,” Leia put in, not looking up.  “What do you think about Takel, Finn?”

Returning his attention to the reports before them, Finn considered.

 

This was stupid.  She should have at least told someone she was going – well, it was likely that Poe had guessed.  Perhaps he would cover for her, for a while.  But it would be good for them to know, in case she needed to be rescued.  If she could get Luke back, then…  Well, then things could go back to normal.  Whatever normal meant these days.  The war would continue, which was unpleasant, but she hated the idea of Luke being involved in all of this.  And being captured by the First Order wasn’t a pleasant prospect.

By the time she’d reached the unnamed planet in the Unknown Regions near her former home, she was almost rethinking her decision to come here.  But then her scans showed life forms on the surface, and she found the Resistance ship.  After a deep breath and double-checking that her lightstaff was still in working order, it was time to go.  She had defeated Lyek Ren once before – easily, in fact.  Was it a trick to get them to take him to the base?  Or had she actually been able to overpower him?  Luke had been surprised, so she hoped it was the latter.

It was too late now to change her mind, so she landed some distance away from the other ship and set off walking.  The terrain was rocky and the clouds overhead were dense and dark.  She paused to look up at them, supposing it might rain.  It was a relatively unfamiliar phenomenon and a small part of her was delighted by the prospect.  But she focused on what she was here to do and kept walking.

She approached the other ship carefully, blaster drawn, and was unpleasantly surprised to find it empty.  Now what?  The ground offered no hint of where they might have gone…  Somewhat desperately, she accessed the ship’s scanners and searched for any signs of life.  There!  Not far.  Memorizing the trajectory she would need to take to meet up with them, she got to her feet and headed out.

 

Something was tugging at the back of Finn’s mind, but he kept his attention on the problem for as long as he could.  It had been a busy day for the Resistance, and not just because of Lyek Ren’s actions.  Leia was teaching him to cope with an onslaught like this, which was appreciated, but something was bothering him.  Finally, he looked up and saw that Poe had left.  Perhaps he was with Rey, hopefully calming her down.  She’d been so upset…

Rubbing his eyes, he sat back.  “We can’t really ask her to stay behind,” he said flatly.

Leia looked at him with a grim smile.  “I know.  She wouldn’t stand for that.  But if we can give her all the resources we have, I’d certainly feel better.”  Pausing, she looked around.  “It’s been a while since she left.”

Something about her tone made Finn sit up straight, and then stand.  “You don’t think she…”

Pressing her lips together, Leia turned toward their scanners.  “I do think.”

Swearing under his breath, Finn made his way over to look into them before swearing again.  If Leia was shocked, she didn’t show it.  “She’s gone.  Do you think she took Poe?”

“I’m afraid not, buddy,” the man in question said from the doorway, looking chagrined.  “I just checked – she took one of the long-range fighters.  She could have landed by now.”

“We have to go after her!” Finn cried, heading for the door.

“Stop.  Our people, whom you carefully chose, are nearly ready.  You should at least wait for them,” Leia ordered.

Finn looked uncomfortable, but nodded.  Going off unprepared was exactly what they’d been working to avoid.  “We need to hurry,” he insisted.

“I know,” she answered sympathetically.

Poe cleared his throat and they turned to look at him.  “We’ve just received word that the First Order has mobilized their entire force.  They are, uh, heading for Cerea.”

A shocked silence greeted this statement.  Leia recovered first and plucked at Finn’s sleeve.  “We will have to meet them.  Help me come up with a plan, Finn.  Then you must go bring Rey back.”

 

Most of Rey’s life had involved hiding from those who were bigger and stronger than she was.  She could fight back if cornered, of course, or she wouldn’t still be alive.  But her experiences in her youth made moving silently along the rocky outcroppings easy to do while avoiding detection.  Even if Lyek expected he had been followed, he wouldn’t hear her approach.  And she would have to press that advantage if she was going to win this.

The path came to an abrupt stop in front of an ancient structure.  She hadn’t expected to find evidence of the place being inhabited, given the limited amount of life signs her scanners had revealed, and she stopped to stare at it.  It reminded her of…  Of Ahch-To!  The stonework was similar and was perhaps as old.  Could this be another temple?

Hesitantly, she stepped inside, the thought of what he might want Luke here for gnawing at the back of her mind.  The place was caving in and she had to step carefully.  If she disturbed anything, the sound echoed deafeningly off the walls and made her freeze in her tracks.  She couldn’t get her bearings given the collapsed parts, so wandered aimlessly, listening hard for any sign.

After a while, she found herself at the entrance to a great hall.  There was some kind of structure in the center, positioned over a hole in the floor.  Beside it was a figure, and Rey pulled herself back quickly to press against the wall just outside.

“Lyek?” a female voice called. 

Rey closed her eyes and wished to be elsewhere.  Who was this?  What was she doing here?  Where was Luke?

Suddenly, she felt herself pulled by unseen hands from her spot and back to where she had been standing in the doorway.

“Ah.  The Scavenger.  Your reputation proceeds you,” the woman said coolly.

She was masked and dressed much like the other Knights Rey had seen, but she was clearly female.  Rey pulled herself free of the invisible grasp on her and stared down the Knight.  “Who are you?”

Somehow she could tell the woman was smiling when she answered.  “Iton Ren.  Second in rank of the Knights of Ren.  My master would like to see you again, I think.”

Her eyes narrowed and she put a hand on her lightstaff.  “Perhaps.”

Turning away, Iton Ren appeared to be looking at the structure, peering downward to where it disappeared into the floor.  “But perhaps I have a better use for you.  Do you know what this is?”

“No.”

“Hmm.  Skywalker’s teachings did always leave something to be desired.  This is – well, no matter what it’s called.  Let’s just say it’s a great way to increase your powers tenfold.  But it’s very dangerous.  There’s a reason no one has been here in eons,” the Knight explained placidly, continuing to take in the room.

“Where’s Lyek Ren and Luke?” Rey asked, uninterested in a history lesson.

Unexpectedly, Iton Ren seemed surprised by the question.  “How has my brother gotten his hands on the Last Jedi?  Or has the master finally snapped and dragged my brother here to test it?”

“Test it?”

“Don’t worry, little one.  Those who have the strength to withstand it only benefit from the experience.  Of course, the rest are driven mad.  Which one do you think Luke will be?”

Clenching her jaw, Rey didn’t answer.

The Knight looked at her again and picked up her weapon from where it had been resting on the ground.  “Perhaps we should see how it affects you, little Scavenger.  I think my Master would find that very interesting.”

In response, Rey drew her lightstaff and got into her stance.  “If you are so intrigued, let’s find out what it does to you.”

Iton Ren laughed as she swung her club around.  Then she attacked.


	13. How Long Can You Stand the Pain?

It took time to gather all the Knights to him before they could leave.  Precious time that Kylo Ren did not appreciate losing.  His fists were clenched and he was barely resisting pacing (or a more violent reaction) when Captain Phasma came to tell him that everyone had arrived.

“Thank you, Captain.”  He paused, looking at her for a long moment while she waited patiently.  “I appreciate your loyalty, Phasma.  Keep the generals from taking over – especially old Hux – while I’m gone.  These are your troops and you don’t answer to him.”

“Yes, sir.”

“And if…  If we don’t survive this fight…”

Her emotions were hard to read but he thought she understood his intent.  “I will follow you wherever you may lead, sir.  And, if we do not meet again, it has been an honor.”

She saluted him and took her leave, and he stared after her, suddenly afraid of how this might all end.  But he pushed that thought away – he had known since the beginning what sacrifices might be asked of him.  And he’d made them willingly for years.  Now was no time to be plagued by sentiment just because everything felt different this time.

When he arrived in the hangar bay, the other Knights were waiting, not quite at attention, but close.  He led the way onto their fastest ship and piloted it himself.  No unwarranted variables would be introduced to the situation.  The space around Borosk was busy with the congregation of the fleet.  Soon they would be ready for the jump to hyperspace to defeat the Resistance.  Or at least face them.  General Hux was in charge, and Phasma would hopefully keep the old generals from interfering unduly.  In any case, he intended to rejoin them before they arrived at their destination.  So this little detour would have to be fast.

They had time, he reminded himself.  The fleet was hardly more than half prepared for an assault on their enemy.  He made the jump and soon had nothing to distract him from what might happen when he was on the planet.  A strange feeling was twisting through him and the gnawing sensation that he might not return was hard to shake.

Getting to his feet, he headed back to survey his Knights.  “When we arrive, we will find Skywalker and our siblings.  Iton will show us the temple.  Do nothing to disturb the ruin.”

“Yes, Master,” they responded, not exactly in unison, but close enough.  He gave them a nod before returning to the cockpit.

 

Not so surprising, but unpleasant was the fact that Rey’s lightstaff did no damage to Iton Ren’s club.  Rey was blocking effectively, fortunately, and was trying different tactics in an attempt to land a blow on her adversary.  Though Iton had seemed quite talkative earlier, she said nothing as their fight took them around the room.  Given that they were both relatively small females, they were well-versed in the tactic of giving ground to exhaust one’s larger enemy.  Against each other, though, it just meant that one would feint forward while the other moved back and they quickly made their way around the great hall.

The greatest danger Rey saw was the gaping hole in the center of the floor, followed by the rubble strewn about.  It would take a much greater level of fatigue for either of them to fail to block, she thought in consternation.  She could feel the raw power here, exhilarating, and it made her hair stand on end.  Exhaustion would take a very long time to have any significant effect on either of them.  Assuming Iton Ren felt the same thing.

Though she had little mental capacity to spare, Rey tried to figure out what had happened to Luke and Lyek.  She had been sure the heat signature she had seen had been them.  But perhaps it was just Iton Ren.  Or perhaps the prevalence of the Force here threw off her sensors.  In either case, she was growing impatient and wanted this to end so she could find her master before it was too late.

Perhaps sensing her resolve, Iton Ren grew more aggressive, focusing more on attacks than defensive maneuvers.  It took some focus on Rey’s part to keep parrying, but she saw her chance and took it.  Twisting her wrist abruptly and somewhat painfully brought her lightstaff through Iton Ren’s wrist, and the woman dropped to the floor in pain, clutching the appendage to her chest.

“I deserved that,” she said with dignity and Rey shook her head at her in disbelief.

“I don’t want to kill you.  But I can’t leave you here without you doing something unpleasant, can I?” Rey stated, looking her up and down.  It was a long way back to either ship and she wasn’t looking forward to dragging a prisoner along.  While she thought, she kicked Iton Ren’s weapon away from them and motioned for her to stand up.  Slowly, she did so, still holding her arm close.

“Killing another person this close to it would not end well for you,” Iton declared and Rey frowned at her.

“Then come along and don’t try anything stupid.”

 

Finn could barely concentrate, but he tried his best to set up their plan of attack.  Finally – finally! – Leia gave him permission to go after Rey.  It was a relief that Poe volunteered to fly them, though they couldn’t spare anyone else.  And, really, they couldn’t spare the two of them.  But perhaps it wouldn’t take long to retrieve her and come back.  The idea of rescuing Luke from the Knights was eventually abandoned in their planning – they couldn’t afford to lose a good fighting force right before what might be their last battle.  Anything that could tip the scales in their favor was worth doing.  If it was the will of the Force, they would be able to bring him home without using anymore men.

“Are you ready?” Poe asked as Finn sat down next to him in the cockpit.

“Yes.”

“Any idea what we might be getting into out there?”

Finn shrugged.  “She’s already in it, and we have to save her.”

Reaching over to pat his shoulder, Poe looked sympathetic.  “You know Rey.  She’s full of surprises.  I’m sure we’ll get there before she gets in over her head.”

“I hope so,” Finn answered, unconvinced.

 

There was a rocky area that called to Kylo Ren, but he resisted landing near it.  Instead, he landed on the edge of an expansive field where Lyek Ren was waiting.  Luke was with him, bound but not gagged, and he expected his former master to have a lot to say as soon as he arrived.  Descending from the ship, he led the rest of his Knights to stand before Luke, who was on the ground in front of Lyek.

“Leave us,” he ordered.  He could sense the surprise, particularly from Lyek, but the group of them moved away from him, fanning out.  Forming a perimeter might be better than finding Iton, he decided, watching them.  Then he turned back to Luke.  “Uncle.  Always a pleasure.”

“I wish I could say the same, Ben,” Luke replied calmly.  “What are you going to do with me?”

Smiling grimly, Kylo Ren looked away at the retreating back of one of his knights in particular.  “What makes you think I’m going to do anything with you?”

“Just depriving your mother of my presence, I suppose.”

He didn’t react to the mention of her, but did return his attention to his uncle.  “The systems in the galaxy will flock to your banner and the Force-users we failed to find will come forward to help.  It’s already started and I can’t have it continue.”

“Why not, Ben?  Snoke is gone.  There’s nothing keeping you there.”

His expression twisted into something like a snarl.  “He’s gone because I killed him,” he snapped before recovering himself.  “It was never about him,” he added more calmly.

Luke smiled knowingly, albeit sadly, and shifted his weight into a more comfortable position.  “It’s going to rain, Ben.  Perhaps we could continue this conversation inside.”

The clouds, dark and heavy, were approaching rapidly, and he frowned at them.  “Does it make your bones ache, Uncle?  Clearly we should be taking better care of someone of your years,” he stated sardonically, well aware of Luke’s physical abilities.

“It would be a kindness to an old man.”

Sighing, Kylo Ren leaned over to lift his uncle to his feet.  Then he followed the Last Jedi onto his ship.

 

Rey followed Iton Ren to the Resistance ship that Lyek Ren had stolen, watching her carefully for any suspicious behavior.  When they arrived, she searched quickly for something with which to bind her, keeping an eye on the Knight the whole time.  Finally, she found some cables and used them to restrain the woman.

“You’re not what I expected,” Iton said quietly, watching her.

“What did you expect?” Rey responded, uninterested but hoping that keeping her talking would prevent her from doing anything else.

Iton paused to consider.  “Someone… older.  Less innocent-looking.  Though I hear you can be quite ruthless when it suits you.”

Frowning, Rey looked at her sharply.  “Who said that?”

The smile in her tone was evident despite the mask, and Iton seemed smug.  “Your former… associates on Jakku.  They had a lot to say about the girl who lived in the AT-AT.”

With a snort, Rey continued her task.  “I’m sure they did.  Now try not to do anything you’ll regret while I’m gone.”

“Be careful, child.  Things this close to that place are not always as they appear,” Iton warned cryptically as Rey left.

 

“I’m going to keep offering until you take us up on it,” Luke said quietly.

Kylo Ren took a deep breath to keep from making a harsh response.  “I can’t go home.  You know that.  Stop trying.  Do you have anything else to say?  Because I didn’t come here just for you.”

Luke sat forward abruptly to look imploringly at his nephew.  “I know why you’re here.  Please don’t go through with it, Ben.  You don’t know…  You don’t know what it will do to you.”

“Neither do you,” he answer coldly.

“Ben, please, just take me back to your side.  It will be enough.  You don’t need to go to these extremes,” Luke insisted, almost begging.

Kylo Ren stood and began making his way back outside.  “We have to end this, Luke.  And this is the only way I know how.  Goodbye, Uncle.”

Luke watched helplessly as his nephew disappeared out the door.


	14. How Long Will You Hide Your Face?

Satisfied that Iton Ren wouldn’t be a problem, Rey headed for the cockpit of the ship.  Luke and Lyek Ren could be anywhere, and she didn’t have time to search for long.  Plus, she didn’t want to walk into any more surprises if she could help it.  Surveying the scanners, she was startled to see that another ship had arrived.  There were people around it, perhaps a half dozen.  She bit her lip.  Should she really do this?  Go out there against an unknown number of enemy agents to rescue Luke?  If she could free him in some way, he would be able to aid her.  But how could she get to that point?

She couldn’t turn back now.  So she tucked a blaster into her belt and touched her lightstaff for reassurance before hesitating.  A clap of thunder made her jump and she looked up with a frown – the rain would come soon so she would have to hurry.  Being soaking wet would not be an advantage, and she had the horrifying thought that her weapons might not function properly if exposed to water.  But she couldn’t realistically hope to defeat all of the Knights to rescue Luke.  So perhaps some bargaining could be done…

After gagging her prisoner, uninterested as Rey was in hearing her odd statements, she set off, driving Iton Ren before her.  The rocky terrain mostly flattened, with the occasional stone structure rising above the dirt.  It was unsettling devoid of any plant life, though there had been some on other parts of the planet.  The dust was getting in her throat and she was looking forward to the rain.  As they walked, she briefly inspected the structures she passed.  The first few she had thought to be just oddly shaped outcroppings, but they started to seem like they were intentionally created.  Who had made them?  Why?  How long ago?  The level of erosion on them was unlike any she had seen, so it was far older than anything with which she was familiar.

Something passed before her eyes and she stopped in her tracks, looking intently forward.  There it was again!  A shadow of some kind.  Then thunder cracked and the light showed two figures engaged in deadly combat.  Reaching for her lighstaff, she was further startled when they disappeared entirely.  A frown crossed her face as she continued forward, warily.  Iton Ren was intent on her footing, since tripping while bound was an unpleasant experience, and hadn’t noticed anything amiss.  The rain began to fall, heavy drops that started out sparse and swiftly increased until Rey was soaked through.  Wrapping her arms around herself for warmth, she stared into the darkness and kept walking.

She could take out her lightstaff – it would make her feel safer.  But it would also give away her position, and she did not think that wise at this point.  Another bolt of lightning lit up the area and she saw the figures again.  Better prepared this time, she could perceive the shadowy quality to them.  They weren’t real.  Or, at least, were not really here.  One of them got the upper hand and ran his enemy through.  In his death throes, the second figure managed to return in kind, and both collapsed on the ground before vanishing.

Shuddering, she wondered what this place was and what it might do to her.  Though she’d been training for years to control the visions, here she could do nothing to stop them from coming.  At the next bolt, the same two were back on their feet, and repeated what she had seen.  Was that their fate?  To fight to the death for eternity?  Were they Force-ghosts?  She didn’t know.  Perhaps, when she found him, Luke could explain these things to her.  But maybe she’d rather not know.

Not daring to ignore the figures, though it was unpleasant to watch them, she made her way forward through the mud.  And barely stopped short in time to see a red light some ways ahead – a lightsaber.

 

The rain would make finding the temple and Iton Ren more difficult, and Kylo Ren cursed under his breath.  He motioned for the Knights to return, and waited impatiently as cold water soaked through his clothes.  “We must find Iton as soon as possible.  She should have met us by now,” he told them, beginning to worry that she might have acted against his orders.

“Sir,” Lyek Ren came forward and held out something – Luke Skywalker’s lightsaber.  The one he’d made, anyway.

Kylo Ren took it with a nod and tucked it into his belt.

“What of the Jedi?” Orek asked, glancing toward the ship.

“He’ll be safe enough while we search,” Kylo Ren replied dismissively.  Glaring into the darkness, he pulled out his own lightsaber and ignited it.  His Knights readied their weaponry as well, and they began to walk in the direction of the temple.

 

They were moving.  They were coming this way.  When the lightning flashed again, she could make out six of them, perhaps, but something else struck her.  The ghosts she had been seeing were still locked in battle, but were no longer alone.  These were armies and she closed her eyes when they clashed.  The shouts and screams as weapons met flesh made her drag Iton behind the nearest rock, covering her head as she dropped next to the Knight.

Silence.  She got hesitantly to her feet, pushing Iton back down when she tried to do the same, and looked out just as the lightning lit up the area.  There were shapes – bodies – littering the ground.  They had all killed each other, down to the last man.  The ghosts she had seen, gone now, were likely the ones in charge of these men.  Hesitantly, she stepped over one, terrified that it might move until she looked at it more closely.  It wasn’t a vision.  It was real.  And had been there a long, long time.

She had seen bodies before – most much more recently dead.  But it was different to have just seen their deaths, to know that they’d been left to the elements for ages, forgotten by the rest of the galaxy.  The desire to run was strong.  This place was evil.  But she had to rescue Luke, regardless of what else might be here.  So she moved slowly toward the lightsaber, leaving Iton behind the outcropping.

 

“Did you see that?” Lyek whispered, stopping in his tracks.

Kylo Ren turned to look at him, frowning.  “Being this close to the temple changes perceptions.  It’s not real.”  He paused, returning his attention to the path before them.  “At least, not anymore,” he amended as he moved around one of the corpses.

“When we get to the temple, sir, whom will you choose?” Lyek asked, glancing at him.

Considering the rest of them, Kylo Ren shrugged.  “That depends on the circumstances in which we find it.”

“I think we should throw that Jedi in and see what happens.”

“I do not think that would be wise,” Kylo Ren replied, frowning at Lyek.  “He is too valuable.”

Clenching his teeth, Lyek nodded.  “Too bad I didn’t bring that girl, then.  She would have been quite useful.”

Kylo Ren tensed, eyes narrowed.  “Don’t be a fool, Lyek.”

“Forgive me, Master.”

“Perhaps he will get his wish, sir,” Orek put in, pointing.

They all turned to look at the pale figure picking her way across the plain.

 

Rey pulled out and ignited her lightsaber – there was nowhere to hide here, and it was a long way to their ship.  Luke was on it, she was certain.  So she’d just have to… to go through the Knights of Ren to get to him.

“Surrender,” she called authoritatively.

The Knights continued to move closer until they were about twelve meters away.  “Why?” Lyek Ren asked her.  Kylo Ren was silently watching her, something that might have been a smile or a grimace on his scarred face.

“Because you don’t want to die like them,” she replied, motioning toward the bodies.

“What are your terms, Rey?” Kylo Ren questioned politely.

“Return Luke Skywalker to me unharmed.  And I will return Iton Ren to you.”

Lyek started forward, shocked and angry.  Rey took a step back without thinking.

“Unharmed?” Kylo Ren clarified, raising an eyebrow at his Knight.  The rest remained placidly arrayed behind him, waiting for orders.

Rey hesitated, and that made Lyek Ren angrier still.  Before she could reply, she was aware of something moving behind her.  Glancing back briefly, it came as no surprise to see that Iton had left her hiding place and was coming toward them.  Salvaging the situation as best she could, Rey closed the distance between them and put her lightstaff to Iton’s throat.

The only sound was the pouring rain, hissing when it struck the two lightsabers, as both sides assessed each other.

“What did you do to her?” Lyek demanded, fingers tightening on his weapon.

“I did what was necessary to defend myself.  She is alive,” Rey offered.

“We will toss you into that pit and see what happens,” Lyek snarled as he lunged at her. 

She stepped away from Iton to parry with her lightstaff, but that was a mistake.  Iton twisted to kick her down, and then struck her hand so that she dropped her weapon in the mud.  Rey rolled away from her and suddenly Lyek was right above her, poised to strike.  Before she could do anything to defend herself, Kylo Ren grabbed Lyek’s shoulder and ran him through.  Then he turned to look at Iton coldly.  Rey got to her feet and looked from Iton to Kylo.  Iton took a step back and Kylo began stalking forward.

“Wait!” Rey cried, dismayed and confused by their behavior.

Kylo Ren stopped and turned his attention to her.  “Forgive me, Rey.  I … would have preferred you not see that.  This is a dark place and you should leave it immediately.”

“Not without Luke,” she told him firmly.

He was already only about a meter away, but he took a hesitant step closer to her.  “I need him.  I’m sorry,” he offered, tone almost gentle.

“I need him,” she insisted.

“You know you don’t.  Go to the temple.  Take Iton with you and go back to the Resistance.  I… I didn’t expect to see you yet,” he added quietly.

She was all too aware of the Knights watching them and didn’t answer.  Instead, she turned around and grabbed Iton Ren’s bonds to pull her along, back the way they’d come.


	15. How Long Will You Be Afraid?

Kylo Ren watched Rey go until she disappeared from sight.  It was tempting to go after her.  But he couldn’t do that.  There was too much to do.  So he swept around abruptly and returned to the ship.  His Knights followed silently and they left Lyek Ren in the mud where he’d fallen.

 

Iton Ren was surprisingly compliant and Rey supposed she was thrown by her master’s abandonment.  Or perhaps because he had killed Lyek Ren.  Rey pushed the Knight ahead of her and clenched her teeth while she followed.  This was not how this was supposed to go.  He shouldn’t have been there…

The rain was letting up by the time they’d reached the temple again and it was a relief to get inside.  There wasn’t time for a fire, even if she could have found fuel for one, and she left Iton Ren in what was once an antechamber.  The great hall was much as it had been earlier, though wetter given the ancient nature of the roof.  Taking a deep breath, she approached the contraption.  She didn’t know what to do to activate it, and was more than a little worried about what might happen to her when she did.

Well, it soon became apparent that she needn’t worry about the first part – it began to hum as soon as she got close.  She stepped carefully over the debris on the floor and into the center.  A light shined out of nowhere, blinding, and she spread out her arms as an energy built up in her chest and needed to escape.  She gasped as it hit her, and then everything went black.

 

Finn was impatient and pacing.  Why had she just left?  Had she not trusted him and Leia to come up with a good plan?  She wasn’t usually impulsive and he would have thought she would be less so after all her training exercises.  Luke Skywalker was taciturn and he couldn’t imagine the man rushing off to face something for which he wasn’t ready.  If Lyek Ren had gathered the other Knights, there was no way Rey could defeat all of them.  She was powerful, and had great hand-to-hand combat skills.  But she wasn’t going up against some nameless soldiers.  These were acolytes of the Dark Side who were feared across the galaxy.

“You wanna have a seat, Finn?” Poe suggested gently.

With a sigh, Finn dropped into the co-pilot’s seat.  “We have to hurry.”

“She’s going as fast as she can, buddy.  What’s the plan?”

“We find Rey and bring her home,” Finn replied firmly and Poe smiled.

“Look, I am as worried as you are.  But I think we need to have a plan of attack.  If these guys are anything like their master, we are going to be in over our heads.  Even if Rey’s there and can help.”

Finn nodded soberly.  “You’re right.  We have our blasters.  Maybe we should fly in close enough to use the ship’s weapons,” he suggested.

Poe grinned.  “I like the way you think, man.  Alright, dropping out of hyperspace.”  He adjusted the appropriate controls and the lights around them faded to reveal a single planet looming before them.

“Where do you think she is?” Finn asked quietly, leaning forward to look at their scanners.

“Hopefully safely aboard her ship and we can just meet up with her,” Poe muttered.

“I see two ships – no, three!  One’s just taking off!  Should we follow it?” he needed to know.

Poe glanced over and was about to answer when a light burst out of one of the rocky sections of the planet below.  They both stared in awed silence for a long moment.  “I think we should go that way,” Poe suggested.

“Yes, definitely.”  Finn turned his attention to the scanners, focused on finding Rey.  “There are two people in there, I think.”

“Rey and Luke, maybe?”

Shrugging helplessly, Finn stared intently at the screen.  “I don’t know, man.  Let’s just hurry, so maybe we can catch up with that other ship if we need to.”

Poe’s lips pressed into a thin line as he considered that option.  Their ship had been chosen for speed, not to engage in aerial battles.  But he kept his doubts to himself and set them down on the planet as close to the rocky section as he could get.  Now that they were closer, it seemed more like a built structure than something formed when the planet did.

They took a few blasters and left their ship, heading inside.  Finn stopped short when he saw a Knight of Ren, automatically raising his weapon to attack.  Until he noticed that she was bound in cable – which made him think Rey must have done it.  Technology was always her forte.  He hurried forward in search of her and found a huge hall with some kind of contraption above a hole in the ground.  And, dangerously close to the cavity, was a prone figure.

“Rey!”  Finn ran to her and turned her over gently.  She was breathing and seemed unharmed.  Just unconscious.

“Is she alright?” Poe called from where he had apparently stayed to keep an eye on the Knight.

“Yes!” Finn called as he picked her up carefully.

 

Back on the Resistance base, Finn took Rey to the medical wing while Poe took Iton Ren to one of the cells.  They wouldn’t make the same mistake twice, so this Knight was locked up much more securely than the other one had been.  As soon as she heard of their return, Leia left the war room to find them.

“Finn, is she…?” she asked quietly as she approached him.

“She seems alright.  Just asleep,” he answered in the same tone.  Then he looked up at her.  “I’m sorry, General, but there was no sign of your brother.”

Leia nodded – she had expected as much.  But it still hurt to hear.  Clearing her throat, she moved on.  Going back to what she was good at – it was how she dealt with personal trauma.  “We’ve called back all of our people.  The First Order will arrive tomorrow.  We will be ready to go face them.  Well, as ready as we can be,” she added grimly.

Taking her hand and giving it a squeeze, Finn gave a pained smile.  “Whatever happens…  I’m glad I joined,” he said simply.

“I’m glad to have known you, Finn,” Leia replied, getting to her feet and touching his shoulder before turning away.  There was still much to do.

 

General Hux stood on the bridge, staring out at their assembling fleet.  It was almost time.  Time to finally break the Resistance.  They would not recover from this – all would see the power of the First Order.  It was foolish to resist what so many in the galaxy actually wanted.  So they would destroy the vocal minority and restore everything to its former, much more civilized state.  And, if Kylo Ren returned in time to be part of the glory, so be it.  He expected his talents to be recognized as they prepared for a new regime, however their current leader might fit into it.

Captain Phasma’s arrival brought him out of his thoughts and he gave her a nod.

“We are ready, sir.”

“Excellent.  Any sign of Ren?”

She shifted her weight slightly.  “Not yet, sir.  The intention was to rendezvous with us at the Resistance base.”

Hux snorted delicately.  “Yes, arriving when we have crushed them,” he muttered under his breath.

“Sir?”

“Nothing, Phasma.  Prepare my shuttle,” he ordered.

The captain didn’t immediately move, just looked at him for a moment.  “Your father was known for being conveniently elsewhere during the worst battles.”

Frowning, Hux turned to look at her in surprise.  “What?”

She took a few steps closer to him.  “Your father is a bureaucrat, not a warrior.  Our leader has his faults, but he never gets embroiled in useless political intrigue and has proven himself in battle many times.  We will owe our victory to him.  I suggest you remember that if you want to keep your position, General,” she added coldly before sweeping out of the room.

 

The alarm was blaring in the Resistance base, telling everyone to get to their stations.  Poe Dameron left the cellblock and met up with the other pilots in the hangar bay.  “Are you ready, BB-8?” he asked the droid as he made a few last-minute repairs to his X-wing.  He smiled at BB-8’s response, then took a deep breath.  This was it.

Ground troops were also preparing to board the transport ships and Finn had to leave Rey’s side to lead them personally.  It was what he had been trained to do for most of his life, and he couldn’t abandon his people now.  Rey was in safe hands – well, safer than the rest of them were about to be, anyway, and there was nothing he could do for her.  Except try to lead the Resistance to victory.

Leia Organa was in the war room, meeting with her chief advisors.  As usual, she would stay behind with their wounded and those who could not fight to lead the battle.  All the data that could be gathered was being brought to them as soon as possible, and it was a busy place.  She perused maps and resource lists as well as flight paths and estimates of the First Order’s assets.  It was a lot to take in, but she had done this before.  Many times.

“General, our troops have arrived on Cerea.”

“General, the fleet is in position over the planet.”

“General, the First Order has made the jump to hyperspace.”

She responded to these circumstances and to dozens of others with a clear head.  It felt… well, like this was the last time she would do this.  And a part of her that felt tired and old was relieved at the thought.

 

General Hux was aboard the Finalizer, on the bridge.  Captain Phasma, he knew, was with the troops below, preparing for a ground assault.  They would have to attack on both fronts simultaneously if they were to deal with the Resistance quickly.  The so-called generals of the Imperial Remnant would not be taking part in the battle.  Instead, they would wait in the viewing room and expect their orders to be followed.  He couldn’t help but think of what Phasma had said about his father.

But he pushed the thought from his head.  However they had gotten to this point, whatever his father’s strengths were, this was no longer _his_ war.  It was the young First Order against the Resistance, and the old guard had no real part to play in it.  Not while their children were involved.

 

The path beneath her was soft dirt, not rock or sand, and she was surrounded by greenery.  It was pleasant here.  The breeze was gentle and the sun warmed her sweetly.  Birds sang and she stopped to lean against a tree.  She wanted to stay here forever – well, at least for a while longer.  No one was telling her to learn anything or setting up their high expectations of what she could do.  It was just quiet.

But then she heard something, quiet at first, but growing louder.  She moved forward again to follow the noise.  It was familiar and, when she turned a corner, she was unsurprised to see that it was two lightsabers clashing, red and green.  Kylo Ren and Luke were there and she remembered that she hadn’t saved her master.

It all faded away and Rey sat up abruptly, surprised to find herself in the Resistance base.  Someone must have found her and brought her back.  Everything was eerily quiet and she figured everyone had gone out to meet the First Order in battle.  And she knew exactly what she had to do.


	16. How Long Will You Play This Game?

Leia was leaning forward to look at the map and ignoring the structured chaos around her as people set up an efficient way to handle all the intelligence coming in.  Cerea had been the location of one of their previous bases some months ago, but they had left it after only a week or so.  It was a virtually inhabitable planet and would make an excellent location for a final confrontation that wouldn’t affect many civilians.  Well, not directly.  However, seeing that their current base was on Chalcedon, it was a little too close to comfort.  If their fleet failed, the First Order was sure to find and destroy them.

“Rey, how are you feeling?” Leia asked when she saw the girl peer tentatively into the room.

Clearly disturbed by the level of noise and confusion, Rey looked relieved to be noticed and closed the distance between them quickly.  “What’s happening?”

“The First Order has mustered its whole force and is heading for Cerea.  They are in hyperspace right now, but should be just out of orbit in about twenty minutes.”

“Why Cerea?” Rey asked, an odd look on her face.

Leia shrugged.  “I suppose because their intelligence is old.  But it’s a good place to meet them, in any case.”

“Where’s Finn?”

“Right now?  Organizing the troops on the planet.  He should be able to make a good defensive from what’s left of our base there,” she explained, motioning on the map.

Rey watched the small blinking lights move for a moment.  “Poe is leading the X-wings?” she guessed.

“Yes.  They’re getting into position to face the fleet.”  She paused, searching Rey’s face and was surprised to find it virtually expressionless.  “What happened to you, dear?”

“I couldn’t bring Luke home today.  I’m sorry,” Rey answered after a pause, looking up and meet Leia’s gaze with a flicker of remorse in her eyes.

“I understand,” Leia reassured her soothingly.  “He’s… always understood the cost.”

Nodding slowly, Rey looked back at the map as though trying to memorize it.  “What will happen if we win?” she whispered.

“Then the galaxy will have peace again.”

Rey frowned while Leia dealt with one of her advisors briefly before she could continue their conversation.  “I mean, what could make it different from the last war?  Because I’m sure you expected to have peace after that, too.”

Surprised by the comparison, Leia paused to consider.  Rey sounded angry, which was unusual, and made Leia want to phrase her answer well.  “If the First Order is destroyed completely, our people will set up a new government without any opposition.”

“But you can’t really be hoping for that level of lives lost?” Rey interrupted, and Leia smiled slightly.

“Of course not.  We are almost evenly matched now.  In all likelihood, the victory will be slight for either side.  And those who remain will surrender because it is better than destruction.  If we are the victors, we will break up their oppressive regime and reeducate their conscripted soldiers.  They will make a good addition to our own army if their loyalty can be guaranteed.  We will have to chase down the leaders and … well, potentially kill them so they cannot incite further rebellion against us.”

Rey digested this while watching the map.  “What if…  What if they surrendered earlier?  What if the soldiers were willing to go against their leaders and join with us to stop the fighting?”

Leia put a hand on her shoulder.  “Like Finn?  That would bring about a mostly peaceful end to all of this, but it’s wishful thinking.  They train their soldiers from birth and Finn’s change of heart was the will of the Force.”

“But you wouldn’t have all of them killed if given the chance?”

With a frown, Leia looked at her closely.  “There is enough death in the galaxy without adding to it.  If someone is willing to defect, I will accept them.  Perhaps not with open arms, but we have already lost too many men to turn any aside now.”

“Good.”  Rey turned away abruptly to leave the room and Leia caught her sleeve.

“What are you going to do?”

“Meditate,” she answered simply despite the intense look in her eyes.  Leia let her go and stared after her in consternation.  What had happened on that uncharted planet?

 

The Resistance army did not have the armor that the First Order did.  Without the Republic to serve any longer, most of the soldiers and resources went to the Resistance, but they hadn’t had a standing army.  So the troops before Finn wore an odd assortment of uniforms and armor and had all kinds of weapons.  Mostly blasters, but a few other things were in the mix.  He’d arranged them all as best he could to give everyone a chance to cause damage without presenting a weak side.  When the First Order landed, they would be ready.

He had been training some of these men for years, since he first joined the Resistance, and he trusted them with his life.  He was honored that they felt the same way.  His was not the highest rank here, and he was somewhat relieved that they would all be receiving orders from base.  That took some of the pressure off.  He’d not led anything more than raiding parties and small skirmishes thus far.  But Leia had faith in him and he would not let her down.

 

Poe Dameron took a deep breath as he looked out at empty space before him.  Soon, the First Order would arrive.  Soon, this area would be filled with ships and laser fire and explosions and debris.  And then it would be imperative that they keep their heads.  There were good men and women in the X-wings and A-wings and other ships arrayed around him, and he intended to lead them well in this last battle.  However today ended, he would do his General proud.

 

The First Order fleet dropped out of hyperspace just outside of Jakku to pick up Kylo Ren.  It took only a few minutes for him to dock with the Finalizer and bring himself and Skywalker on board, though the delay was not appreciated.  Then they jumped again to reach Cerea, where he’d ordered them to go.  There were whispers that he had known where the Resistance base was the whole time and had just been waiting to act.  Now that they had Luke Skywalker in custody, it was surely that time.

Finally, they appeared in orbit, on the other side of the planet from the Resistance.  The troop ships made landfall as close to the Resistance army as they dared before dispelling their men to march the rest of the way.  Above them, the fleet protected the vulnerable transports before going to meet their enemy above what must be the base.  General Hux gave orders rapid-fire while Captain Phasma led her people on the ground.  Kylo Ren, the governors of the Imperial Remnant, and Luke Skywalker were confined to the safety of the viewing room to watch the battle unfold.

 

They were in the largest ship, in one of the most protected rooms.  So the governors who ran the First Order had no reason to be nervous.  But the way they were looking at Skywalker, then at Kylo Ren, then each other did not signify confidence.  The Last Jedi was wearing binders and relieved of his lightsaber, but otherwise free to move around them.  And Kylo Ren did not pay him any attention, staring intently at the viewport.

“Sir, we are relieved to have you returned to us,” Orindi began diplomatically.

He turned around as though surprised to find them seated there, watching him.  “Of course,” he replied after a pause.  “We were successful, as you can see,” he added, motioning toward his prisoner.

“What are your plans with him, if I may ask?” Aleted ventured.

“What would you suggest?”

The governors considered, feeling like they might be walking into a trap by volunteering their thoughts.  Finally, Brendol Hux cleared his throat.  “His value in political bargaining is, ah, less relevant now that we are meeting our enemy in a full-scale battle.  Sir.”

“You think so?” Kylo Ren asked, turning his attention to Skywalker.  “They think you are useless to us, Master Jedi.”

“Perhaps they are right,” Luke replied levelly, meeting his gaze.

Smiling slightly, Kylo Ren clasped his hands behind his back and went back to staring at the viewport.  It was starting.  The Resistance fighters were just ahead and the scans showed their troops on the ground arranging themselves for the attack.  Unsurprisingly, the Resistance had chosen a good location to set up their defense, but their numbers were far fewer than that of the First Order.  Everyone in the room was confident that the battle would not last long, and the governors settled in to watch.

 

“Black Leader, we’re ready.”

“Good to hear, Black 5.  On my signal,” Poe replied.  “You all set, BB-8?”  The droid responded and Poe smiled grimly.

 

Finn looked out across the plain where his soldiers were in formation.  The First Order’s troops could be seen cresting the hill.  There were more of them, but he knew their weaknesses.  They would give them a run for their credits, if nothing else.

 

Though she wanted to go after Rey, Leia Organa stayed at her station.  It was time.

 

Kylo Ren shook his head as though a headache had come upon him suddenly.  The generals watched him warily as his posture slumped and he staggered a step or two before dropping into the closest chair.  They looked accusingly at Skywalker, but he seemed as surprised by their leader’s behavior as they were.

“Sir,” Orindi began, holding out a hand tentatively.

Unsettlingly, it appeared that Kylo Ren was grinning, which was an unfamiliar expression on his usually grim face.  Brendol Hux stood up and drew his blaster, expecting some trick.  “What have you done, boy?”

“Boy?”  Kylo Ren laughed at that.  “Do you know who I am?”  Though unsteady, he got to his feet, leaning against the table, and stared down Hux.

“Our leader,” the older man relented, holding his blaster at his side.

“No.  No one could be fool enough to lead such a fractious, arrogant group of people.  You remember the days of the Empire as a golden age, unaware of how it was for the common folk.  You hated the New Republic because you were no longer in charge of it.  So you regrouped and made a new Order that was more constricting than the Empire ever was.  You encouraged another weapon that took countless lives in a moment, more effective than the last one.  Even with my Knights in your households, keeping an eye on you, I couldn’t hope to control your ambition.”

Through the course of this speech, the generals stared in shock at a leader they hadn’t realized existed.

“You were untouchable under Palpatine, and thought you could escape his fate.  But what you created is worse than the Empire ever was, and your fall should be further than his, though I hope to have nothing more to do with it.  The galaxy is frightened now, and I’m sure my mother will thank you for how tractable and easy to manage they will be in the years to come.”

“Your mother?” Orindi managed to ask, breathlessly.

“General Leia Organa.”


	17. Will You Fight Or Will You Walk Away?

Finn frowned heavily, trying to get a better view.  Frustrated, he glanced at Chewie, who was next to him, and held out a hand for the binoculars he had been using.  The Wookie handed them over immediately and he scanned slowly along the First Order ranks.  They were moving – the ranks were undulating – but not forward.  He didn’t understand what they were doing and tried to figure out what kind of trap they might be setting up.

 

The ranks of X-wings, A-wings, and others held their position, waiting for the First Order to make the first move.  Instead, the TIE-fighters hung motionless in front of them as though they were empty.  But Poe Dameron could see the pilots in some of them, and couldn’t make sense of what they were doing.  He waited, clenching his jaw, to see what they might do, and reported in to the General.  If anyone had information, it would be her.

 

“What are they waiting for?” Leia asked, frowning at the viewscreens in front of her.  The First Order was in position, but no one was moving.  Attacking first was what she had expected, and she wondered if perhaps their scanning equipment had malfunctioned.

“General Dameron’s report corroborates what we are seeing, General,” one of her advisors relayed.

“General Finn is asking for orders, ma’am,” another put in, sounding worried.

Running her hand across her face, Leia tried to calculate the First Order’s tactic here.  If it was meant to put everyone on edge, it was working.

 

Rey sat on the duracrete outside of the base, facing the sun.  Her eyes were closed and she was concentrating very, very hard.

 

Leia Organa had been the scourge of the Empire for years before its destruction, though none of the generals of the Imperial Remnant currently in the room had met her personally.  When her son revealed himself to them, they were stunned into silence – broken by the door opening and young General Hux coming into the room.

“Our troops are not responding!” he cried, then came to an abrupt stop as he took in Kylo Ren’s weakened state and the governors’ expressions, which ranged from shock to outrage.

“No,” Kylo Ren agreed.  “They’re listening to someone else.  Someone more powerful than any of us,” he explained, sounding pleased.

The younger Hux’s eyes narrowed as he looked from Kylo Ren to Skywalker and back.  The old Jedi’s eyes were wide so this seemed to be as much news to him as anyone else.  “It’s that girl, isn’t it?” Hux snarled.  “What a pity she didn’t kill you when she carved up your face!”

Meeting his former rival’s gaze, Kylo Ren smiled in that way that reminded Hux of something feral.  “Yes, because then you and Snoke would have surely conquered the galaxy by now.  How long would it have been before your father made you kill our leader?  And how long before these other… complications found themselves meeting a similar fate?”

That was enough to incite them, and blasters were drawn all around the table, most pointed at one of the Hux family.  Kylo Ren made a slight gesture, though it caused him to sink, exhausted, into the chair he’d claimed before, and the binders fell from Luke Skywalker’s wrists.  After an intent look at his nephew, he held up a hand and froze the whole assembly.  The heads of the First Order twitched against his control but were powerless, and he smiled.

“Let’s go home, Ben.  I think your mother will be very glad to see us.”

 

The TIE-fighters were still motionless and a warning shot did nothing to provoke them.  “BB-8, what can you tell me?” Poe asked, frowning.  The droid gave what readouts it could but nothing explained the odd behavior.  Without orders from the General, he had no intention of attacking.  Their enemy was virtually defenseless – they didn’t even have their shields up.

 

Finn watched as a lone figure broke away from the rest of the troops and began walking toward him.  It took a while and he shifted his weight uncomfortably, meeting Chewie’s concerned gaze as they waited.  It was something of a shock to see that it was his old captain, Phasma.  She was unarmed and had removed her helmet, something he couldn’t remember having ever seen before.  When she came to a stop a few meters away, he took a hesitant step toward her.

“I hoped it would be you, FN-2187,” she said gravely.

He frowned at her, thinking of his excitement at having her at his mercy when he’d escaped years ago.  Though she still held herself tall, something had changed.  She seemed almost beaten, which was strange – her troops outnumbered his and were better trained.  “You’ve come to treat with me?” he asked slowly, unprepared for such an action.

“Yes.”

It would have been a relief for the General to be involved in this, but he thought he could handle it.  “What are your terms?”

She glanced back at her people before turning to him with a strange expression – something like serenity.  “Do you remember what it was like before you were a soldier?”

Taken aback by the question, he looked at the nervous and angry men arrayed around him, and met Chewie’s gaze for a moment to see if he had any insight into this strange reaction.  “What are you talking about, Phasma?”

A wistful smile crossed her face.  “I do.  I saw it, just now.  We all did.  And we just want to go home, Finn.”

 

“General, there is a message for you.  Apparently the First Order wants to surrender.”

“What?” Leia asked, sure she must have heard wrong.

The lieutenant shrugged helplessly.  “It’s what General Finn reports.”

“General, a star destroyer just reached our orbit,” came another, more dire report.

That made more sense.  “A trick, then.  To get us to let our guard down.  Though I would have expected them to wait a bit longer,” she added bitterly.  They had kept nothing back to defend themselves here and had only the underground nature of their facility to protect them.  “Make sure everyone is inside.”

 

Rey felt all the excess power leaving her and it was relief to be so unburdened.  But now she couldn’t bring herself to move.  She wanted to go back and see if her attempt had worked.  It could wait, she reassured herself as she stretched out.  A little nap would make her feel much better.  She was almost asleep when she heard footsteps running over to her.

“Miss, you have to come inside!” a voice was shouting.

Frowning, she closed her eyes more tightly.

“Please!”   Hands grabbed her arms and she let herself be dragged to her feet.  Then stumbled inside as the sound of a shuttle approaching deafened her.

 

“Arm whoever we can spare and seal the doors,” Leia ordered when a small ship left the Finalizer.  It was strange that they weren’t sending more troop transports, but perhaps all of them had been used on Cerea.  She wasn’t going to take any chances, regardless.

 

“They’re surrendering?” Poe asked in disbelief over comms.

“Apparently,” Finn replied, unable to stop staring at his former captain.  She seemed terribly at ease over here, all things considered.  “What are they doing up there?”

“Nothing.  Just… nothing.  It’s starting to creep me out.”

Finn snorted.  “The General hasn’t responded to my message, so I guess we’ll just wait.  Do you think this is some kind of trap?”

Considering his answer carefully, Poe looked at the array of TIE-fighters before him and the formations on the ground below.  “It doesn’t look like one.  You think your old captain is being truthful?”

The look on her face had been unexpected, but seemed honest.  He had seen a lot of strange stuff since he first went into the field.  Rey saw visions, he knew, so it was possible that Phasma was telling the truth.  But she wasn’t Force-sensitive, was she?  And certainly the rest of the First Order’s Stormtroopers couldn’t all be.

“I don’t know,” he said at last.

“Hold up, something’s changed.  The Finalizer is gone!” Poe cried, angry at himself for not noticing earlier.  He had a pretty good idea of where it might be now.

Finn’s head jerked up to look at the sky, though it was too bright for him to make out their ships just outside of orbit.  Then he walked back over to Phasma, determined to get some answers.  “Where did your ship go?” he growled, Chewie’s intimidating form backing him up.

The startled expression on her face seemed genuine, but he didn’t care.  “I didn’t consult with anyone but my troops here on the ground.  I don’t know if the aerial division saw the same things,” she explained quickly, concerned.

Swearing, Finn turned back to the comm.  “Find it, Poe!”

 

Luke Skywalker was greatly relieved when a lieutenant came hesitantly into the conference room.  Kylo Ren was still oddly weakened and watching the generals carefully, but without the anger in his eyes that Luke would have expected.  The entrance made him glance up sharply, while the old Imperials began to struggle anew and Luke had to focus on holding them.

“Change course for Chalcedon.  Get me there _soon_ ,” Kylo Ren growled.  “And send someone to bind these men.”

Nodding quickly, the young man was happy to leave.

“How long have you been planning this?” Luke asked because he couldn’t wait any longer.

Slowly, Kylo Ren staggered to his feet and moved over to the viewport.  Whatever he saw made him smile slightly.  “It wasn’t my plan, Uncle.”

Before Luke could question him further, several officers entered the room.  They seemed quite unsettled and Luke didn’t think it was because of what they had just been asked to do.  If Kylo Ren was anything like those who came before him, dealing with officers who had displeased you was standard procedure.  Though taking the heads of the Imperial Remnant into custody was certainly not something anyone had done before.  In any case, the young officers all wore the same slightly-shocked expression and seemed barely present.  He could feel the after effects of the Force on them.

When they were finished, Kylo Ren turned to face them.  “Take the lot to my shuttle and see that no one interferes.” 

It was fortunate that the old generals had been gagged, too, because many of them felt the need to say something about this turn of events.  Luke was relieved to only have to hear their grunts of protest as they resisted and had to be forced along by the officers.  Once the room was empty, Kylo Ren took a few steps toward the door but couldn’t make it, hands splayed on the table to catch himself.

“Perhaps, Uncle, you could give me a hand,” he suggested quietly, self-effacingly.

It was quite unlike how he had talked to the men, and Luke found himself walking over to offer his nephew an arm.  “What’s going to happen now, Ben?” he asked as they made their way out of the room.

As they crossed the ship, it was oddly quiet.  The few officers that they passed were either motionless and staring out viewports, or furtively ducking behind doors at their approach.  Luke could feel that something had happened, something big, but was being blocked from delving into it more fully.

“It’s not up to me,” Kylo Ren explained patiently.  “It’s up to my mother.”


	18. How Long Will You Let It Burn?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the kudos!

Kylo Ren’s shuttle was full by the time he and Luke Skywalker reached it.  They headed for the cockpit and Kylo Ren sank gratefully into the seat.

“What happened to you?” Luke asked as his nephew got them under way.

“It took a lot of power to get to everyone and she had to take some of mine.  I expect she’s sleeping it off and will be fine soon.  Wish I had the luxury,” he added with a smile.

Luke blinked at him.  When was the last time he’d seen him smile?  Even as a child, that expression had not been frequent.  It looked a bit frightening on his scarred face, but he wasn’t unsettled by it.  Of all the ways Luke had thought today would go, this was certainly not one of them.  “What did you tell Rey to do?”

With a snort, Kylo Ren adjusted their course to head for the base.  How he knew where it lay was a mystery to Luke, since nothing could be seen from the air.  “You have that backwards, Uncle.  She wouldn’t answer to me.”

“You answer to her?” Luke asked in disbelief.

That made Kylo Ren smile again.  “Today was her plan.  I thought it could work.  Much simpler than what I figured would have to be done,” he added admiringly.

“What did she do?”

Sobering, he focused on their flightpath for a moment.  “The First Order is run by fanatics at the top level.  But the rest of them are there because they have nowhere else to go, so no reason to stop fighting.  She gave them one.”

Luke had heard of the ability to influence fellow soldiers or even whole armies, but hadn’t expected anything like this.  “She just… made them want to turn on their masters?”

“Most of the Stormtroopers were taken from their families at a young age and have witnessed enough death.  We always watched them carefully for any slight behavior deviations that might indicate their loyalty faltering.  So they were easy to influence.  The officers were more difficult, I’m sure, but she managed to get things started.”

Shaking his head, Luke found it hard to come to terms with the fact that the war might have been ended so abruptly, and without any more bloodshed.  It did sound like something Rey would consider viable – she was very strong but had a certain childlike quality when she looked at the world.  It was amazing to see in someone who had lived through so much.

 

The blast doors were closing and Rey was about to get inside when she stopped abruptly, looking up.  “Come on, miss,” the woman who’d found her insisted.

“I think I will be happier here,” Rey replied, and stumbled away from her.  Despite the protests that followed her, she continued down the hallway, and the woman was forced to give chase, thinking the poor girl had lost her mind.  They both skidded to a stop when the door a few yards from them opened and two dark figures appeared.

The woman gasped in fear while Rey smiled.  “Master Luke.  I’m glad to see you made it back safely,” she said happily.  Then she looked toward the man leaning heavily on Luke.  “I’m afraid it takes a bit to recover,” she told him apologetically.

“It’s alright,” Kylo Ren replied, dragging his heels when Luke tried to pull him further forward.  Luke looked over at him sharply and was surprised by the frightened expression on his nephew’s face.  It reminded him painfully of when, as a child, he’d been tormented by nightmares.  Luke wondered suddenly if he had been seeing visions of the future.

“Where is Leia?” he asked Rey, aware of how the question made Kylo Ren tense.

“Inside.  They thought you were attacking and are closing the doors, but I’m sure I can get them to open them again,” Rey explained, turning to the confused woman next to her.  “Don’t you think?”

“I’ll… I’ll see to it, miss,” the woman said quietly, and was relieved to have an excuse to leave them.

Rey smiled after her, then looked back at Luke.  “I’m sorry I didn’t rescue you earlier.  Kylo thought it would be good to have an ally with him when he faced everyone.  Did you bring them?” she asked, glancing at Kylo Ren, who nodded.

“They’re on the shuttle.”

“Well, let’s get them into Republic custody.”

 

“What are their terms of surrender?” Leia asked, determined to deal with as much as she could on Cerea before facing the enemy at her door.  If it was a trap, she would see it through.

“They didn’t ask for anything specific.  Just to… just to go home,” Finn answered slowly.

Leia frowned deeply.  That was not an answer she expected and she wasn’t sure what to do about it.  Poe Dameron had been greatly upset when he’d reported that the Finalizer was gone, but said the TIE-fighters were continuing to just wait.  If they were also surrendering, he’d had no word.  Which made her suspicious of the ground troops’ behavior.  The treatment they no doubt experienced from the First Order did give a plausible reason for mutiny, but at this scale?  Where were their generals?  She was considering dragging Beid Byehtho – Iton Ren wouldn’t talk – out of his cell to question him when Finn continued.

“Poe should be there any minute to check on the Finalizer.  Have they landed yet?”

Glancing over at one of her lieutenants, who nodded, she felt an unfamiliar fear twisting in her stomach.  But then – there was something else.  She could feel – Luke!

She hurried toward the blast doors, certain that her brother had somehow been successful, that he’d managed to escape and had returned here.  It might explain what had happened with the First Order, she thought before coming to an abrupt halt when she rounded the corner.

It was Luke.  But he wasn’t alone.  With him were six prisoners, Rey, and – and her son.

 

“General?” Finn pressed, dismayed when she didn’t answer.  He switched channels.  “Any luck, Poe?”

“I’ve just arrived.  It looks like the Finalizer is in orbit.  But it’s not doing anything,” Poe answered, sounding frustrated.

“Get as close as you can to the base.  Leia says a shuttle already deployed, so it looks like our secret is out.  Help however you can.  But stay safe.”

“You got it, buddy.”

 

Luke continued walking, but he noticed his nephew had stopped.  Rey had paused for just a moment, and the prisoners had not really reacted to the sight of Leia Organa appearing ahead.  By the time they’d reached her, she’d recovered herself and was very professional.

“You’ve outdone yourself this time, Luke.  The whole Imperial Remnant will be in my cells tonight,” she said calmly.

“I was less helpful than you might imagine, Leia,” he replied as he pulled her in for a hug.  She clung to him for a long moment.  “Rey, why don’t we take these fine men and women to the cellblock?  I’m sure they’d hate to be kept waiting,” Luke offered as Leia released him.  She gave him a look of panic while Rey looked perplexed for a moment.  He didn’t glance in Kylo Ren’s direction.

“I’d be happy to,” Rey replied after a pause and the two of them escorted the prisoners passed the blast doors.

 

Kylo Ren hadn’t moved and was still some ways down the hallway.  Leia hesitantly took a few steps toward him.  “You did this?” she asked slowly.

Just when she was certain he wasn’t going to speak to her, he shook his head.  “No.”

He looked – older.  Had he been so tall the last time she’d seen him?  He was certainly paler and thinner.  Did the First Order not feed him well enough?  And the scar slicing through his face was much more severe than she’d imagined based on the reports she’d had.  How could he be here with Rey after she’d done that to him?  An unexpected wave of anger flashed through her at the thought but she pushed it away quickly.  It wasn’t as though he’d done nothing to deserve such treatment.

“Why are you here?”

His face had been mostly devoid of expression, but a look of absolute devastation passed over his features at the question.  “I… I brought you an offering of peace,” he murmured, motioning ineffectually toward where the prisoners had been taken, or perhaps at Luke, not meeting her eye.

“Ben, I didn’t mean,” she began helplessly.  When he still refused to look at her, she closed the distance between them and wrapped her arms around him.  “I have always wanted you to come home,” she told him firmly.

He was silent, unmoving.  “Even… even after I…” he whispered.

Leaning back to meet his eye, she took a deep breath.  “We both knew what might happen if he confronted you.  But he believed it could bring you home.  And it did,” she added, tears in her eyes as she pulled him close again.

“Mother…  I can’t stay here.”

 

The governors of the Imperial Remnant were safely put away, to await whatever fate the new government saw fit for them.  Luke Skywalker hoped he would not have to be part of that decision, and could tell Rey felt the same way.  She’d saved them – everyone – by ending the war so abruptly.  How she learned that she could do such a thing was a mystery to him, and he could hardly stop staring.  She had always kept somewhat to herself despite their bond and her eagerness to learn from him, but he’d never expected to have missed something so significant.

“You’ve been holding out on me, Rey,” he began, slightly teasing.

She looked up at him, surprised, then smiled hesitantly.  “Have I?”

“You know a lot more about the Force than what I’ve taught you.”

Pursing her lips, she turned her attention away.  “Yes.  But I didn’t know how to tell you, or anyone.”

“Tell me what?”

“That I know everything Kylo Ren does.  Because I can see into his mind whenever I want.  And sometimes when I don’t want,” she added darkly.

Luke frowned as he considered this new perspective on his student.  “For how long?”

Wincing, she took a deep breath.  “Since we met.”

 

“General Finn, accept their terms and tell them to pick four representatives to discuss what is to happen to all of their people.  We will meet in the morning,” General Organa finally answered, and Finn raised his eyebrows in surprise.  That was unexpected, but he was glad to see an end to all of this so he could go home and check on Rey.

 

Poe Dameron landed near the First Order shuttle and searched it thoroughly.  He was just about to leave it when General Organa told him to bring his people home.  Immensely relieved, he gave the orders.

 

It took a few hours for the Resistance troops to return to base, and for the First Order troops to set up camp on Cerea.  The officers who resisted were captured by their own people and representatives were chosen to negotiate a peace.  The Resistance was celebrating and Poe convinced Finn and Chewie to join him.  Leia, Luke, and Rey had met with them quite briefly before disappearing into Leia’s quarters.  Perhaps they had things to discuss, Finn supposed.  But it seemed that, for the first time in his life, he could do something besides fight.  It was a frightening thought but he was excited by it, and was happy to join in with the other revelers.

 

Luke and Leia were seated near each other, while Rey was sitting across from them.  Kylo Ren continued to stare out the window, as he had been doing since his mother had sent him here.  The silence was uncomfortable and Rey shifted in her seat.

“What are you going to do with him?” she asked finally.

Leia glanced at her brother before meeting Rey’s eye.  “I suppose…  I suppose he must join the other officers who turned against their side.”

Kylo Ren’s hands clenched into fists and he turned around to face them.  “They won’t allow that.”

“Why not?” Leia wanted to know.

“Because I’m not…  I’m not like them.  People know who I am and wouldn’t stand for me walking free any more than they would for one of the generals locked up downstairs.”

“Ben,” Luke began.

“Don’t call me that,” Kylo Ren insisted angrily, looking away.

Luke glanced at his sister, reaching over to take her hand, aware of how pained her son’s refusal made her.  “You want to be locked up, too?” he asked quietly.

“No,” Rey said sharply and they all turned to look at her.  “He… he’s been helping me.  None of this would have been possible without him.  We can’t put him away for that.”

“They would put me away for other reasons,” Kylo Ren told her very gently, surprising both his mother and uncle by the change in behavior.

She glared at him.  “It was a war.  I’m sure both sides have done things that would normally warrant an arrest.”

Luke shifted his weight and Kylo Ren glanced in his direction before returning his attention to Rey.  “There were things before the war, Rey.  You know that.  In any case, my mother will have a difficult time ruling if she pardons the leader of the First Order just because he’s her son.  They didn’t react well to learning who Grandfather was,” he added when Leia started to protest.

“So what do you want?” Leia asked, defeated.

Pursing his lips, Kylo Ren looked intently at the floor.  “I thought…  I sent my Knights to guard the temples we’ve found.  I thought I might join them.”

“Exile?” Luke asked, leaning forward.

“It’s no more than I deserve.”

They digested this idea in silence, Luke glancing between his sister and his nephew, Rey gazing out the window, and Leia watching her son as though memorizing his features.  “When will you leave us?” she asked, a hint of desperation in her tone.

“Before the Resistance knows I’m here, I hope.”

Luke stood up first and walked over to embrace his nephew.  “I know things were hard, Ben, and I’m sorry for my part in them.  I hope we will see you again someday.”

After a moment, Kylo Ren returned the gesture and nodded wordlessly.  Luke bowed his head and stepped back to let his sister take his place.  She held her son for a long time and he supported them.  “I’m sorry for everything,” she whispered.

“Me too,” he murmured and kissed her forehead.

“Don’t get yourself into any more trouble, young man,” she said more loudly as she stepped away, wiping quickly at her eyes.

Luke moved closer to put his arm around his sister and both were slightly surprised when Rey walked over to Kylo Ren.

“I don’t want you to go,” she told him earnestly.

He smiled.  “You’ll always be able to find me,” he answered quietly.  “If you need to.”

“I’ll remember that,” she promised and after a moment of hesitation, put her arms around him.  He closed his eyes and held her until she pulled away.

Taking a deep breath, he looked at each of them for a moment before giving a nod and heading out the door.

The ensuing silence felt very heavy and Leia leaned on her brother, watching Rey.  “Well, let’s go join the party,” she said at last.  Laughing gently, Luke nodded and led the two of them out.


End file.
